


SHINee Ever After

by zeerogue



Category: Kpop - Fandom, SHINee
Genre: 2min - Freeform, EunHae, HyukHae - Freeform, I think it's too long to be crack, M/M, does this count as crack?, donghyuk - Freeform, fairy tale AU, fairy tale medley, jongkey - Freeform, smut galore, taeminho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 15:14:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 102,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10901964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zeerogue/pseuds/zeerogue
Summary: Prince Minho just wanted to break his curse and be with his true love happily ever after. But now he's been forced to show his worth by bringing back the king's glass slipper. How is he supposed to keep his mind on that task though with a nymphomaniac for a fiance', an overprotective brother-in-law, and two bickering fairies? Not to mention all the trouble they get in on the way.





	1. Frog Prince

**SHINee** **Ever After**

 

**Chapter 1 – Frog Prince**

 

 

Once Upon a time there was a most beautiful garden that belonged to the castle in the country of Aurora. One day, a bright green frog happened upon the garden. He had traveled a long ways from his home upon the shores of the Eastern Sea. He had been chased by many a predator and female frog that thought him very handsome, but was left wary and exhausted. He was overjoyed to finally find such a beautiful calm garden to rest in and possibly to make a home of. The frog leapt from the wall he had been gazing at the garden from and down into the lush green grass. He could hear the sound of water flowing and thought to make his home near it. Surely in such a lush garden as this there would be small fish and insects to feed on near any body of water.

 

As the frog hopped along, he saw many beautiful sites that put his mind at ease over his choice of residence. Rose bushes in full bloom of reds, pinks, and creams lined the walkways. Large flowering trees grew tall and lush with bows that hung low. Stone statues popped up occasionally of angels and fairies and beautiful maidens.

 

Finally, the frog came upon a large pool that faced in front of an area filled with small flowers, like a miniature field for children to play on. The fountain itself was spectacular. It spouted water ten feet into the air that rippled back down in stories of three made of a pink granite. On the top tier were little grooves and it was there that the frog decided to take his rest. He jumped on the first tier then the second and examined, deciding which groove to take. There was one that water heavily fell over, the perfect place of protection. He jumped; green skin sprayed on by the water of the fountain, and settled in.

 

It was just as the frog closed his eyes to prepare for a nap that he heard the sound of small feet pattering by. He waited until they had passed before jumping out to check who had disturbed him. In the small flower field, a young girl stood, back to him. She wore a long red skirt that waved like a flag in the wind and a yellow jacket, most likely the fashion of this kingdom. Their hair was short and the color of chestnuts, but looked soft none the less. She turned around and the frog thought she was beautiful with a soft face like one of the angel statues only made more beautiful when she smiled suddenly.

 

A fuzzy ball flew into the air and the frog watched warm heartedly as she played a strange game with herself. She kicked the ball with her ankle trying to keep it from touching the flowers below, counting. She never got very high and would pout when the ball fell onto the tiny flower only to laugh and pick it up starting the game over again.

 

The frog grew hungry watching her play and turned to the fountain happy to see small silver and gold fish swimming peacefully inside. He stared at them, determining which to eat and snapped out his tongue. He brought one of the fish into his mouth, swallowing it and waiting for it to digest. Belly satisfied, he turned back around to watch the girl who was now lying in the flowers, giggles slowing until there was silence. The girl slowly moved her hand and grabbed at her skirt, lifting it up until her belly button was revealed. The fog looked on in surprise to see that the beautiful young girl was actually a beautiful young boy. He watched, entranced as the boy’s soft hand grabbed hold of his manhood and stroked it. His other hand played at his lips, touching the plush pillows before slipping between them. He removed his fingers after a while and moaned a light soft sound. Now glistening with saliva, that hand disappeared between the boy’s legs. His hips began to move into his pleasuring hands and the boy moaned a song that matched the beautiful show of his ecstasy until he suddenly screamed. 

 

The frog was surprised by the sudden scream as the boy scampered toward the fountain still screaming and looking behind him in fright. He tried to see what was scaring the poor boy, but could find nothing a miss, no dragons, monsters, or thieves.

 

“Get it off, get it off,” the boy cried and the frog looked to see what he meant. On the boy’s leg was a blue butterfly, peacefully resting on the smooth pale skin. It was a beautiful thing, and as the frog had learned, a tasty one as well. His tongue flicked out before he knew it and the frog snatched the butterfly up, gulping it down while the boy still screamed.

 

“Get it off, get it…off…” The boy finally stopped screaming and looked at his legs, skirt ridden up high on his thighs. He looked around before catching sight of the frog on the fountain. “Oh, Mr. Frog, were you the one that saved me?”

 

The frog turned to the boy not use to being addressed in such a friendly manner. In his time being a frog, his interactions with humans had been unsatisfactory, being either tortured by young children or chased off with the threat of death. He looked at the boy convinced he was pure despite the scene he had witnessed in the flower field and decided to trust him.

 

“Of course it must have been you, Mr. Frog. I thank you. I wish I could repay you better, but you’re just a frog,” the boy said and smiled.

 

“That’s where you are wrong,” the frog said, speaking for the first time in what felt like years. “I am no ordinary frog. For instance, you can hear my voice, yes?”

 

“I’d say you’re no ordinary frog. I’ve never met one that could talk.”

 

“And I hope you never meet another like me, it’s a sad life indeed.”

 

The boy looked at him curiously. “And why is that?”

 

“I am a cursed frog. I have traveled a long ways and decided to rest here for the time.”

 

“You’re welcomed to rest here as long as you like. I’m very thankful to you for saving me from that bug. I really hate bugs,” the boy said.

 

“Then shall I save you from all the bugs?”

 

The boy animatedly nodded his head. “Please do.”

 

“And in return?”

 

“I will give you a reward, Mr. Frog.”

 

“Then let me ask for an odd reward for a frog. I ask for a kiss. I know I am just a frog, but to receive a kiss from such a beautiful human as yourself would give me so much satisfaction.”

 

The boy nodded and held his hands out for the frog to leap into. “Alright, I don’t mind. I actually quite like frogs, they save me from all the terrible bugs. Close your eyes and I will bestow upon you a kiss Mr. Frog.”

 

So, the frog held his eyes and waited as soft lips pressed against his green ones. There was a stir in the air and the frog felt himself begin to stretch as he grew, bones shifting, and green skin melting into a light tan, soft hair sprouting from his head. He stood naked before the boy and smiled in pure happiness.

 

“Oh, you turned into a man,” the boy said looking up and down him surprised.

 

The frog nodded and took the boy’s face between his hands, cupping it gently. “Yes, I am a man, a prince to be precise. I was cursed by a witch many months ago. But you, my beautiful boy, have broken my curse. I love you.”

 

The boy gasped and lifted his hands to hold onto the frog’s wrists. “Love me? How can that be? Are you really a prince, you’re so handsome it must be true.”

 

“Yes, I am a prince from the East Sea and I love you because you are pure and my true love. I have journeyed far to find you, to break my curse. May I have your name?”

 

“I am Taemin of Aurora, the kingdom that you are now in. Am I really your true love?”

 

The frog nodded. “Yes, yes you are. You are beautiful and gentle and a bit playful in many different areas.”

 

The boy, Taemin blushed but smiled as well. “Then may I have my prince’s, my true love’s, name?”

 

“I am Minho.”

 

 “Minho? Then I love you too, Minho.”

 

The frog, the prince, Minho  smiled down at the boy and leaned down to place another kiss on his sweet soft lips. “If you love me, let me ask another request of you.”

 

“Of course.”

 

“A kiss isn’t enough. Even now, I can feel the edges of my curse returning. I must be totally connected to my true love. I would rather not show up on our wedding day as a frog, so let us have the wedding night first.”

 

“You want to marry me?” Taemin asked, seeming surprised.

 

“Of course, I love you so I want to marry you.”

 

Taemin smiled. “In my country, the wedding night comes first, so I don’t mind. I’ll give my vows to you now by giving you my body. That’s how we say it here.”

 

Minhosmiled and moved his hands to Taemin’s waist beginning to gather up the red material. “Then I shall gratefully take of your pure body.”

 

Taemin nodded. “Yes, no one but me as touched it, so please be gentle.”

 

Minhonodded and leaned down to kiss Taemin again. “Of course.”

 

The younger boy lifted his arms and wrapped them around Minho’s neck, pulling him in more and making the kiss deeper. Minho  ran his tongue along Taemin’s lips, slowly pushing it between the soft pillows, humming and the pleasurable sensation just kissing his true love brought. Once the red material of Taemin’s skirt was lifted all the way, he slipped his hands under and groped Taemin’s bottom, another moan escaping him as well as the younger boy. Minho  moved his hands farther down, grabbing Taemin’s thighs and lifted him up. Taemin wrapped his legs around the frog prince and Minho  lowered himself to his knees and placed the younger boy onto the bed of flowers below.

 

The cursed prince looked down at his true love, taking in his flushed smiling face that was looking at him with so much trust. He had just met the boy, but his family was known for falling in love quickly. He reached his hands out and began to undo the ribbon holding Taemin’s yellow jacket on. He revealed his chest and slid the material off and just stared for a moment.

 

“Minho…is everything okay?” Taemin asked looking up at him with nervous innocent eyes.

 

The prince shook his head and smiled down at him. “Everything’s perfect, you’re perfect.” He kissed him – his lips, his jaw, his cheek, trailing his lips down his sternum and licked one of the boy’s nipples.

 

Taemin moaned, the sound soft like a kitten’s mewl and Minho  licked him again and took him in his mouth. He started to rock against the boy, feeling the pleasure build and magic slowly start to retreat once again. Minho  had stayed chaste by his parent’s request, but perhaps he wasn’t as pure as the boy he now called his.

 

“Ah…ah, Minho,” the boy moaned and looked at the prince through half lidded eyes.

 

Minho  couldn’t take it anymore. He wanted to make his true love his and he wanted the curse gone forever. He positioned himself at Taemin’s entrance, already stretched and prepared from Taemin’s activities playing with himself almost as if fate knew this would happen. He kissed his true love and pushed in, swallowing Taemin’s gasps at the sudden intrusion. Minho  wasn’t sure if it hurt or not, Taemin’s face seemed more surprised than anything else, but he wanted to just feel being inside his true love, this beautiful boy that lay under him.

 

When Taemin gave soft sounds of impatience, eyes closed and hips moving against Minho, the prince finally started moving. He thrust slow but deep into Taemin, taking in each wave of pleasure that being surrounded by the warm insides of the boy sent. He moaned and watched Taemin as his smaller body was pushed against the small flowers, chestnut colored hair spread about like a copper halo tinged on the edge with sweat. He moved faster, feeling completely like his old self again before he was cursed to be what most people saw as a hideous creature, an ugly vermin.

 

The younger boy’s moans grew louder, no longer small and kittenish but loud and echoed in Minho’s head, driving him to go faster, to taint the boy quicker, make him his. Taemin’s hands held tight around Minho’s neck, hips meeting Minho’s with every thrust until he finally came in a beautiful arch that left Minho  breathless and brought his own end buried deep inside his true love.

 

Minho  stared down at Taemin, catching his breath, and ran a hand along his cheek and down his neck before landing on his small chest that was breathing heavily. “Taemin,” he said softly, “Taemin, my love.”

 

The boy smiled. “Yes, Minho, my love?” Taemin giggled and Minho  felt his chest swell.

 

“You’re beautiful. Is it really alright for me to marry you?”

 

Taemin nodded and hugged Minho  to him. “You can definitely marry me. I don’t have a fiancé and you’re a prince. There’s nothing that could come between us.”

 

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆`* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆`***

 

 

 

“Why didn’t you tell me you were a prince, too?” Minho  asked as he pulled on the outfit Taemin had limped into the castle to get after they’d finished cuddling in the flower field.

 

“Well, there really wasn’t much time to tell you those things,” Taemin said, a blush on his face and Minho  couldn’t help but lean down and peck one of his pink cheeks.

 

“Alright, I understand. So you’re the second prince of the kingdom of Aurora. Are you sure it’s alright to marry another man?” Though most countries had no problem with this, there were still some kingdoms and families that held up to the old times before magic was deemed a good thing

 

Taemin nodded. “My mother knows the spell for male pregnancy, so it’s fine.”

 

“And you’re wearing the female outfit of your country…”

 

“Because when you have more than one son, the most feminine of them is taught the way of women. And after being forced to wear them for so long, I find men clothes quite uncomfortable,” the younger prince explained.

 

Minho  laughed and nodded finding the clothes uncomfortable as well after living naked as a frog for so long.

 

“You were cursed because of your father?”

 

Minhonodded. “He got on a witch’s bad side and she was going to curse him, but I took it instead. It was a really silly curse though. My father’s married to his true love, it wouldn’t have been hard to break.”

 

Taemin laughed and clung onto his arm the moment Minho  was totally dressed. Minho  smiled down at his…he supposed he would refer to Taemin as his fiancé until their wedding and vows. He ruffled his chestnut colored hair and allowed Taemin to lead him down the garden path back to the castle. They had agreed for Minho  to meet the reigning king, the person Taemin referred to as his mother. There were guards at every door, but they smiled at Taemin and asked a simple question of ‘Who is your friend here?’ in inquiry of Minho’s presence with Taemin. The younger prince simply answer with a ‘He’s going to be my husband’ in which was received by laughter on the guards part and a glare toward Minho  as they departed.

 

Finally they came upon the doors that led to the throne room of the castle. Minho  swallowed feeling nervous upon meeting the parent of his true love who he had just an hour ago defiled. He wondered if the king would notice that his innocent younger child was no longer pure and if he would call Minho  a thief and a liar here simply to take advantage of young maidens with stories of curses.

 

Taemin dragged him up a wine colored carpet until they stood at the foot of three stairs. He looked up them and swallowed upon seeing the king who looked more like a queen dressed in a more elaborate version of what Taemin wore, long hair held up in a ponytail.

 

“Oh, my son, what have you come to see me about.”

 

Taemin held his arm tighter and smiled up at the king. “I’m here to show you the man I tend to marry. This is Choi Minho, prince of the Eastern Sea. He is my true love and we plan to marry.”

 

Minho  had a split second thought that things would go well until his eyes connected with the judging eyes of the king.

 

“You,” the king said pointing a scepter at Minho. “Do you think you can just waltz in here and demand my youngest son as your wife? Though I love both my sons very much, this one is my favorite, I can not just simply hand him over to the first prince he take a fancy in.”

 

Minho stepped forward. “No disrespect my king, but I love your son. He is really my true love. I have traveled long distances to find him. I was cursed to live as a frog until I could meet the one I would spend the rest of my life with.”

 

“Cursed? You must have done something awful to have a curse that required such a spell to break it.”

 

“I took the curse in my father’s place. A jealous witch was at fault.”

 

“Then I suppose I can’t call you a bad man; however, I will not give my son over so easily. He is still just a boy and to marry him off so young without proof that you can take care of him the way I want him taken care of would deem me a bad mother.”

 

“Mother, don’t do that. Minho’s a good man. He’s gentle with me and I love him. Please don’t make this difficult,” Taemin said, glowering at the king.

 

“Alright, upon my son’s request I won’t make it difficult.” The king stood up and walked down the three steps, standing before Minho. Minho  instantly bowed to him, showing as much respect as possible.

 

“I, King Heechul, hereby declare that Choi Minho, the prince of the East Sea, shall be given my younger son, Lee Taemin, as his wife upon his return of this quest. You must find me a glass slipper. This slipper must be two sizes bigger than my son’s feet and sparkle as if made of millions of diamonds under a full moon’s light. And, it must look similar to this.”

 

An altar to the side of the room was uncovered and Minho  walked over to it finding the simple glass slipper. He stared at it trying to understand what this was all about. He turned back to the king with questioning eyes.

 

“Find the counterpart to that glass slipper and I will give you my son as your wife.”


	2. Starting the Quest for the Glass Slipper

**Chapter 2 – Starting the Quest for the Glass Slipper**

 

 

There was a great feast in Minho’s honor after the announcement of his quest. Many faces past by him and congratulated him on being given such an honor as well as the possibility of marrying the lovely prince. Minho  didn’t quite like them referring to his marriage to Taemin as only a possibility. He was determined to find this slipper and marry the pretty boy that stayed beside him during the whole dinner as he was bombarded with questions while the king glared him down, a smirk on his lips. A servant had come to tell him he would show him to his room for the night to sleep before heading out on his quest tomorrow. However, before he could follow them, Taemin grabbed his hand and led him away, up flights and flights of stairs in the gray brick building until the reached an extravagant hall and Taemin led them to a door in which one lone guard stood outside, allowing them both through without a question. Taemin went and jumped onto a large canopy bed in the middle of an even larger room. Minho  wasn’t unused to such extravagance, but it had been months since he’d been a human and the sizes of things still seemed so big to him.  

 

“My mother’s so unfair,” Taemin said from his spot on the bed.

 

Minho  laughed and looked at his fiancé spread eagle on the large bed. “Taemin, it’s fine. What kind of prince would I be if I couldn’t take on a quest in order to earn your hand. I would have been a bit uneasy if the king had made our relationship easy.”

 

Taemin picked his head up and looked at Minho, a pout on his lips. “But I want our relationship to be easy, and we just met, too. Why does he have to make you go now? Can’t we get married first and you go on that quest once I have a baby or kitten or something to keep me company while you’re gone?”

 

“I’m sorry Taemin, but the sooner I do this, the sooner I will come back.”

 

“What if he tried to marry me off to someone else?”

 

Minho  frowned at that thought. “You don’t think your father would do that, do you?”

 

“No…not really, but you never know when a war could start and marrying me off to someone else could be the only way of keeping the peace.”

 

Minho  didn’t like that thought either. “I promise to come back quickly, alright, Taemin. I’ll be there and back before you know it. I won’t let anyone take you away from me.”

 

Taemin stood up from the bed and walked over to Minho, taking his hands in his and lifted them up. He looked up at Minho with hope in his eyes. “Really? Do you really promise to come back soon?”

 

“Yes, it shouldn’t be hard to find such a shoe. Glass slippers aren’t necessarily common.”

 

“Then make love to me again.”

 

“What?”

 

Taemin looked at him pleadingly. “Embrace my body one more time and imprint your touch into me so I can feel it on those lonely nights when you’re gone and won’t forget you and I’ll imprint myself onto you as well so you won’t forget me.”

 

Minho  leaned down and cupped Taemin’s face, tilting it up and kissed him sweetly. “Taemin, I could never forget you. I love you, you’re my true love and we’re engage. I couldn’t dare defile your body once more before we’re married.”

 

Taemin shook his head. “I told you already. The wedding night comes before the wedding here. And this is our wedding night because the day you come back our wedding will follow only hours after, I promise that.”

 

“Taemin, I couldn’t.”

 

Taemin shook his head and pulled away. He turned around and slid the yellow jacket off then climbed onto the bed. Minho  couldn’t help but follow him a little, standing at the foot of the bed. The younger prince turned onto his back and looked Minho  in the eye as he started to lift up the long red skirt until it showed his private area, the area only his own hands and Minho  had touched.

 

“You can’t say no. I’ll just do it myself if you don’t.”

 

Minho  sighed and reached up, beginning to remove the clothes he had been given to dress in. “There will be no need for that. It’s not as if I don’t feel the need to embrace you every second. I simply just can’t be a gentleman with you.”

 

“You’re a gentleman enough, but you’re not courting me, so hold me,” Taemin said, holding his arms out and Minho  climbed onto the bed.

 

Minho  placed a hand on Taemin’s chest, feeling the boy’s soft skin and leaned down to kiss him. Taemin’s arms wrapped around his neck and he kissed back, lips parting to invite Minho’s tongue to explore. The older prince’s hand moved down to Taemin’s stomach and to the band of the red skirt bunched up around his hips and he pulled at it, finding the place it clipped together and undoing it so if fell off Taemin’s body. Minho  moved his lips from Taemin’s and moved them down his neck, the younger prince letting out soft sounds of pleasure with each touch, hand moving from Minho’s neck to his hair. Minho  continued to move lower, tracing his collar bone and chest and kissed each of Taemin’s nipples before sitting up and staring at his fiancé.

 

“Do you have something for me to use?” Minho  asked.

 

Taemin took his hand and brought it up to his mouth. He kissed three of his fingers before lapping at them with his tongue. Minho  shivered at the lewd display and moaned when Taemin took his fingers into his mouth and sucked them. Wanting to distract himself from disrespectful thoughts of taking his fingers away and replacing them with other things, Minho  took a hold of Taemin’s member and stroked it as he watched Taemin coat his finger. The younger princess started to mewl around his fingers and buck his hips up into Minho’s hand before letting them go with a loud moan.

 

“M-Minho~,” he moaned and turned to look at Minho, still holding his hand. His eyes were half lidded and urgent and he guided Minho’s fingers to his entrance. “Please, quickly.”

 

Minho  nodded and poked at Taemin’s entrance with one finger, loosening up the first ring of skin before pushing in. He moved his finger in and out, watching his fiancé’s uncomfortable but pleasured face. He added a second finger and began to scissor Taemin, the younger prince mewling in discomfort before shuddering in pleasure when Minho  pushed his fingers deeper inside him and out, scissoring every few thrusts. He added a third and continued until Taemin’s hips pushed against his fingers and there was a constant melody of the boy’s moans.

 

The older prince moved  his finger out and positioned himself at Taemin’s entrance. He looked down at his fiancé, who was breathing hard, full lips parted, and a pink blush on his cheeks, and leaned down to kiss him. His tongue easily slipped into the younger boy’s mouth and he coaxed him into following his movements, teasing his member at Taemin’s entrance as they kissed and swallowed all the boy’s whines. When they broke apart, Minho  pushed in all the way and paused, face only centimeters away from Taemin’s. He watched through half lidded eyes as Taemin’s pained face relaxed and moved out and back in. He started out slowly, easing Taemin into the feeling, this only their second time and soon he had a good enough speed, rocking the younger princes’ body into the bed.

 

Taemin grabbed at the pillows above him and moved his hips with Minho. The older prince moaned and went faster, trying his best to catch every expression the other made while they made love. He wondered how he’d been so fortunate to find someone like Taemin. In his kingdom, touching was fine, but to go all out like this before a wedding was frowned upon. He knew of kingdoms that had the night before the day, but he knew when he woke up tomorrow it wouldn’t be to wedding bells but to trumpets announcing his departure.

 

“Minho~~…mnh…please…faster,” Taemin moaned, one leg coming to wrap around Minho’s waist and the older prince was snapped out of his thoughts and obeyed the boy’s command, moving faster into him until heat pooled in his stomach.

 

Taemin arched and came with a soft cry, his warm hot insides tightening around Minho  and it only took a few more thrusts before he came as well, buried deep inside Taemin. Minho  collapsed on top of the younger boy, catching his breath before rolling off and laying down beside him. Taemin turned to his side and curled up next to him, head on Minho’s chest.

 

“I love you, Minho,” Taemin said.

 

Minho combed his fingers through Taemin’s messy chestnut hair and smiled. “I love you, too, Taemin.”

 

Taemin lifted his head and Minho bent down, kissing him. “I promise I’ll be back before you know it.”

 

The younger prince wrapped his arms and legs around Minho, clinging tight. “Stay here with me tonight.”

 

Minho chuckled and kissed his hair. “I don’t think there’s anywhere else I could go.”

 

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆`* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆`***

 

 

It seemed that every resident of the castle plus all the townsfolk lined the road from the castle’s front door down to the entrance gate of the kingdom of Aurora, now an exit as Minho  squinted his eyes to get a better look at it. A guard had aroused him early in the morning, shaking his naked form from his confines in Taemin’s arms. He’d been pulled away from a sleepy protesting Taemin and thrown into a bath and what he deemed were the kingdom’s usual traveling clothes before he was taken to eat breakfast with the king and Taemin and a few others. Taemin had clung to his arm the whole time he ate, making it a little difficult, but he didn’t mind so much if it wasn’t for the king’s eyes always on him. He had been taken away again and led outside where he was given light armor, a sword, and a large black stallion to ride and a map of the surrounding areas and money. Now, he stood at the bottom of the castle steps with the horse’s bridle in one hand and Taemin clinging to the other.

 

“Alright Taemin,” the king said, “it’s time to let him go. Your prince must go on his quest now.”

 

“No!” Taemin said stubbornly holding tighter to Minho’s arms and he hissed a bit as the hugging got painful.

 

The king grabbed Taemin’s waist and pulled him away. “Stop being a difficult child, you were never like this before.”

 

Minho’s heart dropped as he watched Taemin reaching out for him as he was pulled away.

 

“Hurry and leave now,” the king said.

 

Minho  looked at Taemin not able to move as he started crying. “How can I do something like that when my love is crying like this?”

 

He tried to reach a hand out to Taemin but only got a slap to the wrist by a guard.

 

“I won’t let you have him until you get that shoe,” King Heechul said handing is son over to other guards. “So hurry up and get it and then you can hold my son as much as you want.”

 

Minho  sighed, understanding, and mounted the horse. He grabbed the reigns and took one more look at Taemin who had tears running down his face. He didn’t know why he was so determined to not let Minho  go. When they were married, he’d have to go on quests anyways, leaving him alone often, but he truly didn’t want to go either after not even a full twenty-four hours spent with his true love. Before he could change his mind his horse neighed and started down the road. He held tight to the reigns and turned back around to see Taemin break free and start after him, tripping over his long red skirt.

 

“I promise to be back quickly!” he yelled back before moving the horse faster. He didn’t stop until he was deep into the woods that surrounded Aurora, the castle no longer in sight. He brought the large black stallion to a rest and got off taking out the map to determine his course.

 

There was really no sure place the shoe could be, but he would ask around. There were five large marks on the map with smaller ones around them. The Aurora kingdom was to the North and so Minho  decided to travel west first then south, central, and finally he hoped to stop at his own kingdom on the EastSea. If his quest ended up futile, he could at least collect a large enough payment to appease King Heechul into giving Taemin to him.

 

 With his thoughts in order, Minho picked up the reigns of the horse and started walking. He didn’t want to tire the creature out so early, and he wanted to see the area that he hoped to be a second home to him one day. The trees were tall and thickly covered with branches and leaves and the floor covered in flowers. There were plenty of woodland animals running about and he didn’t worry about dinner for that night. Also, he could hear the sound of water, faint, but he would pass it by the time he needed it. All seemed in order if only he could have Taemin by his side.

 

It was only a few hours in when Minho  came upon a spring. He decided to stop and take a quick drink and water the horse while they still had access to water. He tied the horse down close to the bank and washed his hands and arms before splashing his face. He almost fell in when he heard a scream. He looked around and heard it again. It was high, but definitely not female. He walked a bit away from the horse and peered into the trees seeing a streak of red.

 

Another scream sounded along with an exclamation of “Help Me”. The voice sounded familiar and Minho’s eyes widened before he dashed over to where he saw the red.

 

“Taemin!” he yelled looking around. That had definitely been his love, his fiancé. He didn’t understand what the boy was doing to here or how he’d caught up with Minho so fast, but that didn’t matter. Something was hurting him and Minho  needed to help.

 

The boy kept screaming and screaming and Minho followed it not sure whether he was getting closer or if Taemin was running toward him. He was answered when a streak of red suddenly collided with him. He wrapped his arms around Taemin’s waist keeping him on top as they fell onto the grassy ground. Minho  hissed a bit, eyes closing on impact, and opened them to see Taemin’s surprised face right above his. He wasn’t sure who moved into kiss, but it didn’t matter. They kissed desperately and Minho  held the boy to him. When they broke apart, he placed kisses all over Taemin’s face and then sat up, taking in his fiancé’s appearance.

 

There were leaves in Taemin’s chestnut hair and his skirt had a tear, but otherwise he seemed fine if not a little dirty. He kissed his face some more until it was hidden in his chest and Taemin hugged him tight.

 

“Minho, it was so scary. I forgot how much I hated being outside, it was so scary,” Taemin said.

 

Minho  lifted his face up to look at him. “What was scary Taemin, what are you doing here?”

 

“I followed after. As soon as my mother wasn’t looking I found the secret passage way, it has a short cut to the woods and followed you, but then I ran into a monster. It had  monster wings and scales and a dog like face. It was really scary.”

 

Minho  didn’t really understand what kind of creature Taemin was talking about. “Was it a snake? Or a wolf?”

 

Taemin shook his head and eyes widened in fear. “No it was smaller.”

 

“Smaller?”

 

The younger prince pointed behind Minho  and he turned to see something fluttering toward them at a fast pace. He figured it was just a bug and was just going to laugh at Taemin’s cute fear of the critters until it was close enough to see. It was like a little person, about eight inches tall with large green monster wings and markings on his face. He sped straight toward them and started pulling at Taemin’s hair. Taemin started screaming again and Minho  tried to swat the creature away.

 

“Get away from us, you monster, go away, you tiny beast. He hasn’t done a thing to you, why pick on someone so much bigger?”

 

The creature then started tugging on Minho’s hair as well and he swatted at the fast fluttering creature until he finally made contact. He watched as the creature zoomed back with the impact and suddenly collided with another one a little taller and they both landed on the floor dazed. Minho  quickly jumped forward and grabbed them both. He turned to Taemin.

 

“Do you have something to tie them with?”

 

The younger prince started undoing the bow on his yellow jacket and Minho  quickly shook his head. “Don’t take that off, do you have something else. Oh, you have a ribbon in your hair, use that.”

 

Taemin took the ribbon out of his hair and undid it, wrapping it around the two creatures in Minho’s hands as they both squeaked out protests until they were secured. Minho  held them and stared at them trying to understand.

 

“What are you?”

 

He heard the sound as if one of them had cleared their throats before they had suddenly disappeared leaving only the one that had attacked them in his hands.

 

“Yah! Kibum, why’d you escape by yourself?” yelled the captured monster.

 

Minho  felt something land on his shoulder and turned to see a little person dressed in black and gems with a scepter in one hand. “Because, unlike me, you deserve the punishment. What did I tell you about attacking every pretty thing you see?”

 

“Sorry, but you’re the one who gave me this curse. It’s a wonder I don’t attack you all the time,” the small beast said.

 

“That’s because I’m the one that cursed you.”

 

 Minho  looked between the two bickering creatures not sure what was going one. “Um, excuse me, but who and what are you two?”

 

The one with the scepter turned to them and waved his scepter a bit. “I am Key the witch, and that,” he pointed at the captured one, “is my pet. We’re fairies.” 


	3. The Witch and the Beast

**Chapter 3 – The Witch and the Beast**

 

 

“Fairies?”

 

The scepter carrying fairy nodded to Minho. “Yes, we’re fairies, have you never seen a fairy before?”

 

Minho  shook his head. The only magical creatures he had ever encountered were mermaids that lived on the coast of his home. To see such small people was truly amazing. He examined the caught fairy with its monstrous markings and reptilian wings. He did resemble a bit of a cross between a dragon and a wolf like Taemin had described when he first ran into his fiancé. He looked at the other fairy with his black shiny and sparkling clothes and rainbow highlighted hair with iridescent wings flat behind him and could guess he was a fairy, but the other one he couldn’t understand.

 

“Why do you look like this?” Minho  asked touching one of the captured fairy’s wings. He tried to snap at Minho’s fingers.

 

“Ask him why I look like this,” the captured fairy said, indicating the other.

 

The witch fairy sighed. “I cursed him, that’s why. He’s a two timing toad.”

 

“Kibum, it’s been almost a year now, will you please let it go?”

 

“Let it go?” the witch fairy laughed. “How do you except me to let something like that go? You’re an awful man and you deserve this curse for however long I feel like putting you under it. You can’t break it until I say so.”

 

“Kibum, how many times have I said I’m sorry?”

 

“Sorry isn’t good enough, you idiot,” the witch fairy said and jumped onto Minho’s wrist, started to beat the other fairy with his scepter.

 

“H-hey, you’re hitting me too,” Minho  said and picked up the other fairy by the back of his shirt. “You two need to calm down, what’s going on? Why do you keep calling him a cheater and stuff?”

 

“Because he is,” the witch fairy said and crossed his arms.

 

Taemin moved his hand and carefully plucked the witch fairy from Minho’s grip. He placed him ion his shoulder and smiled at him sweetly. “Will you tell as then? I don’t think it’s right to keep him all tied up.”

 

“Yeah, tell us why he attacked Taemin,” Minho  said.

 

The witch fairy sighed. “Fine, I’ll tell you.”

 

“Kibum, you really don’t need to go telling other people our business,” the captured fairy insisted.

 

“No, no, I really do. Besides, these guys are nice.” The witch fairy’s little hands patted Taemin’s cheeks. “He’s so pretty, I feel bad that you attacked him.”

 

Taemin smiled and Minho  felt a bit jealous that the two seemed already cozy together, though he really didn’t see a point in being jealous of a fairy. The monster fairy just groaned and settled into his binds.

 

“Well,” the witch fairy started, “it happened quite a few years ago.”

 

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆`* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆`***

 

 

There was a small kingdom that not many people knew of. It laid to the east of the Northern kingdom near a waterfall, nestled between two low hanging hydrangea plants. The buildings of the kingdom went no higher than the tops of the trees and most building only five feet tall and the tallest intertwining between the stems and branches of the tree. But most of the houses were the tree itself. One of the trees housed the castle where all the royals and their workers lived. And in one room, behind a big tuff of flowers high on the castle tree roomed the royal fairy witch.

 

Witches themselves were rare especially in magical creatures and a male to boot. There were people who knew potions and a few spells, but being able to creature your own curses and spells was something highly valued. When the young fairy Kim Kibum was found to possess such power from a young age, he was immediately moved from his home with the other commoners near the stems of the other tree and brought to live in the castle and given his witch name, Key. He quickly got along with the other young royals and servants and studied hard, but there was one royal that always managed to disrupt his studying.

 

Prince Jonghyun was the son of the King’s second nephew. It was almost a stretch to even call him a prince, but he was still close in line to the throne and so that was how he was called. Prince Jonghyun always had a fascination with the witch fairy that Key never did quite understand. At first he would just come into the room while Key studied when he ran away from his own studies and would just sit and stare at him. After a while he started to make comments about Key’s face as he studied saying he looked funny when he made this expression or that and sometimes he said he was pretty. It was just child talk, but even a young Key couldn’t help but be flustered when complimented by a prince. After a while more Jonghyun had become the witch’s guinea pig and he would use the prince to practice spells on. Many a time things went wrong and a fairy taught in the arts of spell reversals would have to step in and fix it and they were scolded. Key would be angry at the boy prince for many days, refusing to look at him as he worked and Jonghyun sat beside him, but soon they’d be back to making mischievous.

 

When in big groups it wouldn’t have seemed like the prince and witch were good friends. They often left each other to go hang around with groups more of their class, Key with servants and lower ranked individuals around the walls of the castle and Jonghyun with his cousins, but when left alone, the two fairies were inseparable.

 

It was when they hit puberty that things seemed to change. Prince Jonghyun had always talked more to girls than boys when they were younger, holding little princesses’ hands in his and it seemed only polite, but now when Key caught sight of Jonghyun walking along branches from his view in his room with his hand intertwined with a princess’ Key always felt a sort of tightening in his chest and felt his wand hand lift, pointing it at the two, but never once did he mutter a spell. Besides, he comforted himself on the fact that Jonghyun would come back to his room right after. Which, the prince did and they would sit together and Key studied more before running around the branches, fluttering about with laughs and Jonghyun would urge Key to do simple spells, playing tricks on some of the servants and kids that they didn’t like, making them trip or drop something, innocent fun to them.

 

Sometimes they would be chased off after getting caught. One time when they were only the age of thirteen, they were chased after spoiling one of the high ranking maid’s lunches. They laughed as they ran, Jonghyun pulling Key along, hand intertwined until they suddenly ran into the broad chest of Key’s guardian.

 

The older man grabbed them both by the bases of their wings, a sensitive spot that made sure they wouldn’t try to escape for fear of their wings being ripped off and sat them down in an empty room with only a small window above. They sat on their knees with their hands held high in the air, door opened as the guardian stood watch outside. This was always their punishment, spankings having long been forgotten at least in Key’s case since they’d quite being children. At first the punishment had been hard, staying in the room in that position for one to four hours, but they had gotten use to it. However, to keep from being given a worse punishment, they pretended it still hurt them and found ways to enjoy the time together.

 

“It’s not like that maid couldn’t have gone without one lunch,” the prince said, voice only loud enough for Key’s ears. “I mean, I know the king eats a lot, but she must eat even more to be so much bigger than him. Isn’t there a rule that no one’s allowed to eat more than the king?”

 

Key laughed again and shook his head. “I don’t understand how she’s like that either. Maybe she’s pregnant.”

 

“She’s not married and she’s been like that for the past four years, Kibum,” Jonghyun said, calling the witch by his real name, the only one to call him such.

 

“True,” Key admitted. “Maybe I should put a spell on her to make her quite eating so much. Maybe she’ll finally get married then.”

 

Jonghyun grinned and Key couldn’t help but stare at his beautiful smile. “I don’t think making her skinny will help with that. She’s not pretty at all.”

 

Key pouted. “How do you know if she’s pretty. She’s older, only older guys would know if she’s pretty. Besides you don’t care about faces. All you care about is a body. I see your eyes following all the pretty older girls around.”

 

Jonghyun looked away ashamed and Key felt his heart fall knowing his assumptions were true. “I was just looking. And I do too care about faces.”

 

Key looked away and shrugged. “I don’t believe you. I bet you’d say the prettiest is the one with the biggest chest.”

 

The witch felt a nudge on his shoulder and turned to see Jonghyun, his eyes determined and a pout on his lips. “That’s not true. Ask and I’ll prove it.”

 

“Fine, I will,” Key said though a part of him really didn’t want to know. “Who do you think is the prettiest here in the castle?”

 

“Out of everyone?”

 

“Yes, maids and servants included, everyone,” Key said.

 

“You.”

 

“Yes, me too,” Key said getting impatient with Jonghyun’s continued questioning.

 

“No, I mean you, you’re the prettiest, Kibum.”

 

Key just blinked at the fairy prince trying to understand what had just been said. Then he gasped, a little too loudly and his guardian looked inside. They both put on the façade that they were in pain and looked at him hopefully. He just harrumphed and turned back.

 

The witch turned to back to Jonghyun. “What do you mean me?”

 

Jonghyun looked thoughtful for a second before turning to Key with a grin. “Exactly what I said; I think you’re the prettiest. You have really pretty eyes, like cats even though cats are kind of mean and try to eat us sometimes, but yeah, and your face is soft but sharp. I just think you’re pretty, Kibum.”

 

Key felt his face flush and turned away. Jonghyun always called him pretty, but the prettiest? “Jonghyun, I’m not a girl. You can’t be serious.”

“I am though. I think you’re really the prettiest, Kibum. Do you want to know the biggest reason, though?”

 

Key turned and looked at Jonghyun. There was only a few times when the prince truly looked like a prince, the rest of the time Key only saw Jonghyun as the handsome boy he got in trouble with, but this was one of those times as the fairy prince looked deep into his eyes, even, completely serious.

 

“It’s because I like you, Kibum. I like you a lot.”

Key looked away. He was too young to really understand why his heart was fluttering like this. He would have never allowed himself to feel this way for Jonghyun if he would have known. “Of course you like me, we’re friends.”

 

“Not just like that, I like you like you, Kibum. I want to kiss you.”

 

Key looked at Jonghyun surprised. “Kiss me? No, definitely not. You’re crazy. I think sitting in that position has made the blood flowing to your head slow.”

 

The guardian looked in again and they both went silent for a few minutes.

 

“Kibum,” Jonghyun said.

 

Key turned without thought, only to widen his eyes when he felt his lips come in contact with another pair. He pulled away quickly and touched his lips, looking at the culprit. Jonghyun was just smiling, looking quite pleased with himself. “Your lips really are soft. Softer than flower petals.”

 

The witch fairy just looked away embarrassed by the whole thing. Why had Jonghyun kissed him? It took another year for Key to understand his own feelings after many more chaste kisses were stolen. It was  secret though, holding hands wasn’t so weird, but their fingers only entwined when no one was looking and their kisses grew longer and hotter with ever time Jonghyun pulled Key around a corner. It went on for three years like that until one day Jonghyun invited the witch to his room. He’d gone there before, when Jonghyun had gotten a fever, or that time he’d ripped his wings, or just when they couldn’t find anywhere else to be alone together. Everything had been innocent up until then, but as Jonghyun pulled Key along, late one night after a party in which they’d been forced to stay away from each other most of the night, the witch could just feel something shift in the air.

 

Key walked into the room and to the balcony that looked out at the fairy city below. He heard Jonghyun click the door shut and come up behind him, arms wrapping around Key’s waist and holding him tight. Key leaned back into his hold and sighed and he looked up through the small space between the flowers of the tree and saw the moon.

 

“Kibum, I love you,” Jonghyun said and placed a kiss on Key’s neck.

 

The witch fairy felt as if he should have been surprised by that announcement, it was the first time Jonghyun had uttered those words, but Key just felt like they’d been said a hundred times before and he smiled.

 

“I know.”

Jonghyun chuckled and kissed his neck again, keeping his lips on the smooth white skin. “You do?”

 

Key nodded and turned around arms wrapping around his prince’s neck. “I do. I love you, too, Jonghyun.”

 

Jonghyun leaned in and pecked Key’s lips. It started out slow, but soon tongues slid against each other and Jonghyun led the witch to his bed. He softly laid Key on the large mattress made of fresh flower petals and began to remove his close. Key blushed, but kept his cool. It felt right to be doing this with Jonghyun, a boy that just wouldn’t leave him alone since they were young. He reached up and helped pull Jonghyun’s clothes off as well.

 

It wasn’t until they were both naked that the witch fairy felt shy. He brought his hands up and covered his face not wanting to look at the naked Jonghyun peering down at him while so vulnerable. The fairy prince only pulled away Key’s hand and leaned down, kissing him.

 

“Let me see your face Key. You’re beautiful, I want to look at you.”

 

Key had to grip the sheets in order to not cover himself back up as the prince kissed every inch of skin from his face down to his ankles, leaving little red marks in the most sensitive of places. He was a shivering whimpering mess by the time Jonghyun reached out for a bottle of oil and started to press at his entrance with his fingers. Key was surprised that Jonghyun knew how to do this as same sexed couples weren’t common the higher up the ladder you went in the fairy realm. And he was gentle, so gentle it made Key almost cry with need. He hardly saw Jonghyun’s gentle side, or perhaps he saw it the most, the genuine gentleness, not the sweet air he put on when talking to princesses. He gasped when Jonghyun started pushing in. There would be no lying that it hurt and the pain didn’t go away even as Jonghyun started speeding up it was just that pleasure began to over take the pain and Key moved his hips with Jonghyun until he finally screamed and came, his body shivering as the prince fairy continued until liquid filled him inside. They spent the night together, naked into each other’s arms. They spent almost ever night like that for months. It wasn’t until Key was rewarded a scepter, the sign of a graduated witch and someone worthy of royalty that things changed.

 

Key began to have to work, and some nights he would just lay there as Jonghyun moved and the prince would get frustrated with his tiredness. When the witch realized something was wrong, he tried to fix it. He would go down to watch Jonghyun work with the sword and bow and arrow. They spoke less and less, but when Key walked into Jonghyun’s room or vise versa, they actually started making love again until one day Jonghyun was given a choice.

 

Key stood beside the throne, his now permanent place and tried not to glare at the girl in front of him. She was beautiful, a beautiful fairy princess indeed, the daughter of a rich man, a princess by money, who’s father was having financial trouble. He wanted to sell her off to regain his grounds. Sell her off to a prince. Key looked at all the princes and tried to see which would be most likely to take her as their future wife. There were only three princes that could take her, the others having already been promised to someone else or absent. With bachelor princes, no lower ranking royal would step up. Jonghyun was one of the princes. He felt his heart crack the moment Jonghyun stood up and bowed.

 

“I’ll take her,” Jonghyun said and left with the princess.

 

Key continually tried to talk to Jonghyun about why he would do that, but she was always there, always clinging to him and blinded by jealousy, Key could only see Jonghyun smiling and flirting, not able to tell whether it was fake or true.  

 

It had been two weeks since he had talked to Jonghyun and even longer since he’d been to his room. He had planned to wait for Jonghyun to walk in the dark hallways to Key’s room and prove the girl was just for show, but he never did so the witch fairy took it upon himself and wished he hadn’t. He opened the door and saw in the dark room the princess’ form on top of Jonghyun’s, both bodies moving together and moans escaping. He didn’t take time to access the situation further, it was obvious to Key. He lifted his scepter and cast a spell making the two  split apart. They both scrambled about, but Key blocked the exit. Tears stained his eyes as he looked between them and when he saw Jonghyun, eyes wide opened in shock as if he couldn’t believe he’d been caught, he didn’t care about the consequences anymore.

 

Key lifted up his scepter and pointed it first at Jonghyun. “You, I thought you loved me. I came here to understand why, but I understand now. You’re just a liar and a cheater. You’re also stupid breaking a witch’s heart.” Key swirled the scepter around and began to chant: “Once a handsome prince who spoke softly with beautiful beings, slowly hurting them front the inside out, I curse you to be a monster. You won’t be able to hurt with words but your hands. You’ll be a monster that craves for beauty but can only hurt it, this is what I curse you, Kim Jonghyun.”

 

Jonghyun roared and fire seemed to crawl along his body. Key almost regretted what he did as he watched Jonghyun transform. His chocolate flat hair spiked up like dragon horns. His wings disintegrated and were replaced by scaly green ones and his body was covered in tribal marks, to prominent ones on each cheek of his face, nails growing long enough to be claws. He was a monster, a handsome monster.

 

The girl screamed and rushed out of the room, her own curse being that of her tainted virtue, running out of the room half naked and screaming for the guards. They couldn’t stay here. Key still loved Jonghyun, no matter how hurt he was and he wanted to torture him more, for the fairy prince to understand his scars. He waved his scepter and they both jumped out of the window, flying away into the moonlight, beast and witch.

t, beast and witch.


	4. Swan Prince

**Chapter 4 – Swan Prince**

 

 

After battling a rabid mountain goat, befriending a pack of wolves, and arguing with a rogue group of mountain people to the north of the Aurorakingdom, this was the last thing the crown prince wanted to come home to. Onew had just housed his horse in the stables when he got the news and immediately stomped off into the castle. With a determined face, he made his way to the king’s office, tripping on cracks in the stone floor, but was able to keep himself from falling once with his determination to see his mother as quickly as possible. Onew slammed the door opened hard only to have the guard standing outside jump in surprise and his spear fell onto Onew’s head. The crowned prince picked up the spear and rubbed the top of, handing it back to the guard. After a quick apology from both of them, Onew stomped into the king’s office and walked up to his desk where King Heechul sat looking through books. He slammed his hands hard onto the front of the desk only to pull them back quickly, shaking them as tingles of pain went through them.

 

Heechul looked up at his oldest son and sighed, leaning back in his chair. “You’re home late.”

 

Onew looked at his mother confused for a second, hands held out awkwardly in front of him still stinging slightly. He shook them one last time before hiding them behind his back and bowed.

 

“Forgive me mother, there was trouble with the mountain people, it took longer to negotiate with them then I thought.”

 

Heechul stood. “You mean you kept falling off the mountain, right?”

 

Onew looked away guiltily. “Yes well…it’s over with and that’s not why I came up here.”

 

“You didn’t come up here to see the person the man that magically carried you for nine months? Oh, I’m so disappointed,” Heechul said feigning hurt.

 

Onew made a distressed sound before he remembered why he had come up here. “Mother, where’s Taemin? Why is he missing?”

 

“He’s not missing,” the king answered and Onew gave a sigh of relief only to choke on it as the king continued. “He ran away.”

 

“Ran away? Why in the world would my little brother run away? Shouldn’t we go find him, perhaps he was kidnapped instead?”

 

Heechul shook his head and waved a hand at the prince. “No, no, there’s no need for that. I know exactly where he is.”

 

Onew looked at the king, mouth opened slightly. “Then…shouldn’t we go get him? I can round up a team to retrieve Taemin.”

 

“No, he’ll come back eventually. He’s with his fiancé.”

 

“Oh, well if he’s with his fiancé then that’s fine…wait…when did Taemin get a fiancé?” Onew asked.

 

“Two days ago. Some frog looking guy, a prince from the East Coast I believe, came and said Taemin was his true love. I told him he could marry Taemin in exchange for retrieving my shoe. I didn’t really expect Taemin to go after him, but if they had sex I should have known he would.”

 

“My little brother had sex!”

 

Heechul looked at his younger son a little surprised by the outburst. “How else do you expect that kind of curse to be broken?”

 

“What curse?”

 

“Did I not mention the curse? The prince had a curse and Taemin broke it. He’ll come back. He has to if he wants the wedding.”

 

“You’re just going to let them be? They’re looking for _that_ shoe, right?” Onew asked and the king’s face darkened when he nodded.

 

Onew’s face turned serious and he spun around. “It’ll take them too long. I can’t allow my little brother to get eaten up anymore. And, besides, he should have come through me before going to you if he wanted to touch Taemin. I’ll cut his hands off.” With that, Onew tripped out of the room and made his way hurriedly to his bedroom. Before he walked inside he turned to the guard outside his door.

 

“How long has it been since Taemin disappeared?”

 

The guard bowed before answering. “One day this morning, my prince.”

 

Onew smiled at the guard before it dropped and he realized he was a whole day behind his brother and he quickly regathered his usual quest equipment and went to the stables for his horse. He patted the white stallion’s side comfortingly as he looked at him annoyed with being pulled out of the stable only a few hours after returning.

 

“Come on boy, don’t look so annoyed. We’re going to go see Taemin.”

 

At the mention of the younger prince’s name, the horse seemed to get more energy back and allowed Onew to pull him out and harness him up. The crown prince made his way to the front gates and tried to ignore the protests of the servants as they tried to keep him from leaving. Onew held up a hand to silence them.

 

“I, Prince Onew, will travel to retrieve my little brother from this man that claims to be his fiancé and bring back our beloved and pure princess. That is my quest and I will not be deterred from it.” With that, he smiled at all the people and started down the road that led out of the kingdomof Aurora. However, the crowned prince did not ask in which direction his brother and fiancé had decided to travel and headed south.

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆`* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆`***

 

 

The large leafy trees began to lessen as Onew traveled further south of his far north home replaced by large grassy flower filled expanses. The crowned prince had traveled for a day already and felt he’d made it quite far and would run into Taemin any time soon, but he didn’t know where he was. He had only his compass, but no map. Usually one of the knights he brought with him carried the map and he was regretting running out so unprepared, but he didn’t have time to think about that with Taemin probably being violated every hour by the hands of his so called fiancé.

 

It was late afternoon on the second day of travel that Onew finally paid attention to the growling in his stomach, jumping and falling from his horse surprised by the sound himself. He lay on the ground looking up at the pink and orange sky and tried to remember when he had last eaten. He sat up and looked around sheepishly seeing his horse already grazing. He had remembered to feed the horse and he remembered to drink water, but since arriving home the night before, he realized he had not eaten a thing and went to look in his bags. He found half a loaf of bread and a jar of fruit preserves leftover from his last journey and sighed. He took a couple pieces of the bread and dipped it in the preserves, chewing it and looking around. He would have to hunt meat soon and maybe collect nuts and other wild foods he could travel with until he came upon a house to buy from.

 

The call of an animal in the far distance caught Onew’s attention and he looked up to see a flock of birds flying across the sky. He squinted to get a better look and saw that they weren’t just any birds, but geese and stood going over to his horse to retrieve his bow and arrows. He quickly tied the horse and followed after the flock, running into a groove of trees that led into one of the few forests. He tried to aim at them as they flew, but the branches of the trees made it hard and they began to grow closer together. The crown prince gasped and suddenly fell when he tripped over the trees roots as he ran. He laid there a second before attempting to pick himself up and inspect for injuries finding none. He picked up his bow and arrow and looked up into the sky. The geese were gone and he was about to lower his arrow when he saw something else flying. He shot. There was the bird’s distressed sound and then it began to fall. Onew quickly tried to follow after it.

 

The crowned prince ran through the trees, careful not to fall again as he tripped over the roots of the trees. The sun was rapidly setting, the sky more of a dark indigo as twilight approached. He wanted to find the bird he shot before it was too dark to see. Onew stopped when he suddenly came upon a lake. On the shore of the lake laid a bird with black beautiful feathers. Onew was surprised to see a black swan and wondered if this was the bird he’d hit.

 

Moonlight touched the lake and the swan lifted its long delicate neck and looked up at the moon. Suddenly, light swirled around the bird and it lifted its large black wings, flapping them. The light swirled higher and higher and a form started to take shape above the swan. Onew gasped when the light dispersed and the naked figure was revealed, back to Onew, no swan insight.

 

Though he was use to magic having been born from it, Onew was still wary and lifted his bow with an arrow at the ready as he began to make his way out from the trees that lined the lake and toward the naked person once a black swan. He froze when his foot landed on a twig. The swan person jumped hearing it and slowly turned their head, eyes going wide. Onew was mesmerized by the beauty of the person before him and lowered his bow, walking forward. The person moved their hands, one coming to cover of their flat chest and the other between their legs and that was when Onew realized the person he was looking at was a boy. And he tripped.

 

“Oh, are you alright?”

 

Onew slowly lifted his head from the sandy dirt that lined the bank of the lake and smiled the best he could through the numb pain of falling flat on his face. “Yeah, I’ve had worse.”

 

The swan person smiled back, cheeks lifting and becoming chubby and pretty eyes creasing into crescent moons. Onew felt his heart stop for a second before beating ridiculously hard ad he pulled himself up into a sitting position, dusting the sand off.

 

“Yeah, yeah I’m alright,” he said again and looked at the swan person. He was still in the water, kneeling there naked in front of Onew and he felt his cheeks flush at the sight of all that creamy skin marked by a single red line on one of his arms. “Oh, you’re hurt!”

 

The swan person looked at his arm and nodded. “Someone shot at me with an arrow.”

 

Onew felt his stomach drop and he reached down to the edge of his shirt, tearing a long strip off. “I’m afraid that was me. I didn’t know you were a swan, better yet, a person. Let me see your arm.”

 

The swan person lifted his wounded arm and Onew moved closer. He dipped a hand into the cool water of the lake trying to keep his eyes from the curve of the other’s back that led down to his bottom and up again to his thigh and poured a handful of water on the cut to clean it off before wrapping it in the scrap of fabric.

 

The swan person laughed softly and Onew felt a tightening in his stomach. “It’s a good thing your aim was off.”

 

Onew turned to the swan person a little flushed. “It isn’t usually, but I tripped and was in a hurry. I’m sorry for shooting you. May I ask your name?”

 

The swan person smiled again and laid his head on his knees looking at Onew as he sat back in the water at the shore, only a little above his knees high of water covering him. “No, tell me yours first Mr. Shooter.”

 

Onew flushed, ashamed of having tried to shoot at the beautiful being in front of him now and nodded. “I’m crown prince Onew of the Northern kingdom, Aurora. Now you.”

 

“Song Seunghyun,” the swan person said and propped their head up a bit more with their hands seeming more interested in Onew now. “You’re a prince? I’m a prince, too. At least I was until I was cursed.”

 

Onew didn’t like the frown that suddenly came over the swan’s face. “Seunghyun…” it was a pretty name and Onew repeated it again before continuing with his question, “Seunghyun, why were you cursed?”

 

The swan prince looked up into the sky then turned his head to the west of the lake. “I lived in that castle not far in that direction with my parents and my uncle and his guardian. My uncles actually a bit younger but the same age. I guess you could say he’s always been a bit jealous of me. I was supposed to be married off. Our kingdom’s not very big and I’m not much for becoming a king, so they thought it a good idea that I become a queen instead. My uncle wanted them to marry me to him. He was against giving the king’s seat over to someone else, to a child that I might have and wanted to ensure it was his. My parents said no so he tried to force me into it, but I’ve always just seen him as a younger brother and laughed. The guardian is magic, I didn’t know he knew how to curse and so my uncle was able to force the curse on me. For the past four months I’ve lived in fear every day that a hunter would come and shoot me and every night I try to make it home only I never make it because of the men on the outside of the village that lead to my castle. I’m naked and it scares me, so I come back.”

 

“Don’t you have any clothes?” Onew asked.

 

Seunghyun shook his head. “There’s a robe. I was turned while just stepped out of the shower, but the robe now is all tattered and dirty. And being gone for four months, wouldn’t they call me dirty and no one would want to marry me, I would just end up marrying my uncle like he wants.”

 

Onew felt sad for the beautiful boy. He couldn’t be much older than his own brother and he felt the need to protect Seunghyun as well as other things he tried to not think about. “How do you break this curse?”

 

Seunghyun looked at him then away and a pink flush seemed to coat his body making Onew have to look away for both their good.

 

“A prince must announce his love for me before all my family and friends and I must be there as well as my uncle and guardian.”

 

Onew nodded and looked over the boy. He truly was beautiful, or at least Onew thought he was. He seemed cute, but somehow brave, maybe a bit awkward but so was Onew. He really hoped a prince would come soon and help the swan; he would be a very lucky prince. Onew suddenly paused though and looked at Seunghyun.

 

“Hey, I’m a prince.”

 

Seunghyun looked at him and nodded. “Yes, you said that.”

 

“No, I mean I’m a prince, what if I did it?”

 

Seunghyun shook his head. “No, no, you have to actually love me when you announce it. Just saying you love me won’t work.”

 

Onew frowned and thought again. He looked at Seunghyun, taking him in and smiled a bit. “Seunghyun let me try something.”

 

The swan prince looked at him curiously but nodded. “Alright, what is it?”

 

Onew shook his head. “No, close your eyes and lift your head a little and then you’ll know.”

 

The swan prince looked at him a bit nervously, but closed his eyes and lifted his head up toward the sky, moonlight playing on his smooth face. Onew shifted a bit nervously before he moved closer to Seunghyun, knees soaking into the water of the lake where the swan prince sat. He brought a hand and cupped Seunghyun’s face and the swan prince gasped, but didn’t open his eyes. Onew chuckled and stroked his cheek.

 

“It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you…again at least,” he said, voice soft. Onew lowered his face, heart racing as his lips connected with Seunghyun’s.

 

He’d kissed before, a few maidens of the castle and even fewer princes but never like this, just quick simple pecks, most stolen from him, but this was different. His heart had never raced like this and Seunghyun’s lips were still partly opened from the gasp. He moved his lips away for a second before pushing them back onto Seunghyun’s and touched his tongue between the other’s lips. They gave away and Onew pushed farther in, slowly, slowly as not to startle Seunghyun. The swan prince made a soft sound and his tongue carefully met Onew’s, hands going to hold onto the shoulders of Onew’s jacket. Onew kissed him a little hard, pushing him back until he was pressed into the shallow water and Onew settled between his legs, hands going to twine into Seunghyun’s dark hair.

 

“O-Onew,” Seunghyun gasped softly when Onew pulled away.

 

He looked down at the swan prince’s face, lips swollen and red and water droplets sprinkled on his cheeks. He was truly enamored by him. He kissed one of the water drops away and pressed his lips against Seunghyun’s ear.

 

“I’m in love with you, Seunghyun, I’ll break your curse,” he whispered.

 

Seunghyun shook his head. “No…n-no, that’s not possible.”

 

Onew moved and presses his lips against Seunghyun’s again. “But I am. I don’t really understand it either. I came journeying looking for something else, but the first thing I find is you. You can be my queen.” He pressed more kisses to Seunghyun’s face then down his neck, moved by a force he’d had to keep down since first seeing the swan prince naked in the lake.

 

“I-I can’t,” Seunghyun protested, a moan escaping his lips. “I…mnh…I can’t Onew.”

 

Onew stopped. “You can’t what? Be my Queen?”

 

Seunghyun shook his head. “No, not that. I want to…I want to be your queen Onew,” he said, voice going softer with each word as he looked down. “I can’t do this though.”

 

Onew followed Seunghyun’s eyes and looked between his legs grinning seeing that the swan prince was hard. “That’s fine; I’m not upset with that.”

 

Seunghyun shook his head. “I can’t until we’re married.”

 

Onew was a bit surprised by this. He’d been certain they’d marry right after Onew announced his love for Seunghyun so making tonight in the lake the wedding night wouldn’t matter, but he supposed it was different for Seunghyun’s kingdom.

 

“In my kingdom, the night comes before the wedding.”

 

Seunghyun blushed and Onew had to hold himself back from reaching out and continuing. “I…I understand, at least wait until the spell has broken.”

 

Onew nodded and stood up, reaching a hand down. “Come and lay with me at least, I don’t want to leave you here yourself.” He pulled Seunghyun out of the lake and into his arms, holding him tight. “Also, say you love me, too.”

 

Seunghyun looked up at him surprised that he hadn’t said those words already. “Ah…y-yes…I love you, too, Onew.”

 

Onew smiled big and leaned down, kissing Seunghyun again under the moonlight shining over the lake.

 


	5. A Tower for a 'Princess'

**Chapter 5 – A Tower for a 'Princess'**

 

 

Minho  stared at the captured fairy with a glare. The fairy prince was looking down, a frown on his face and a glare of his own. Minho  just couldn’t understand how this fairy could have cheated on the witch fairy when it seemed everything was going fine before with how Key told the story. He turned his head when he heard a whine and saw Taemin looking at the witch fairy with a sad sympathetic look.

 

“You poor thing,” Taemin said then turned to Minho. “Minho, you should beat that one up, he’s mean.”

 

Minho  chuckled seeing the captured fairy’s expression and at his fiancé’s demand. “I can’t do that, Taemin. However, I’m not real sure what to do with you two now. I’ve afraid if I let this one go, he might attack my fiancé again.”

 

The witch fairy squealed and Minho  looked at him in surprise.

 

“Oh, you two are engaged!” He started to lightly stroke Taemin’s cheek and the younger prince laughed softly. “You better treat this cutie well, you understand. If you hurt him, I’ll curse you, too.”

 

Minho  groaned. “I don’t want to be cursed again, don’t worry, I won’t hurt him.”

 

“Cursed again?” the witch fairy fluttered over to Minho  and landed on his knee. Taemin followed and curled up next to Minhoas they sat on the forest floor and he wrapped a hand around his waist.

 

“Yeah, I was living as a frog for the last six months.”

 

“A frog? That’s somehow fitting,” the witch fairy said looking him up and down.

 

Minho  frowned, but continued. “I took a curse from a witch that was aimed at my father and had to travel for a long time in search of my true love to break it.”

 

Taemin wrapped his arms around Minho’s neck and pecked his cheek. “And then he found me.”

 

Minho  smiled at Taemin and held him tighter. “Yes, Taemin broke my curse.”

 

“Why aren’t you two married then?” the witch fairy asked.

 

“Well, we’re going to get married. The king…”

 

“My mother’s mean,” Taemin piped in.

 

“Yes his mother,” Minho  continued, “the king didn’t want to make it easy and he sent me on a quest to find a class slipper and to bring it back in order to marry Taemin.”

 

The witch fairy nodded and the captured fairy piped up. “Usually you wouldn’t bring your fiancé on a quest, would you?”

 

Taemin laughed and pecked Minho’s cheek again. “I followed him. I’m not going to wait months and months for Minho  to return. Besides, I’m never allowed outside the castle unless it’s with a big entourage and with my mother and brother for parties and stuff. I’m a prince, too. I want adventures.”

 

Minho  smiled at his fiancé and ruffled his hair. He wished Taemin had stayed home, he knew quests could be dangerous, but he was glad to have Taemin there with him, too. It was a conflicting feeling, but he’d protect Taemin.

 

The fairy witched squealed again. “Aw, you two are cute. You know, we might be able to help you guys.”

 

Minho  looked at the fairy. “How, aren’t you guys headed somewhere as well?”

 

“No, we’ve been traveling around for almost a year and we ended up pretty close to where we started. We can’t really go back because of, well, you know,” the witch fairy said and indicated the fairy prince.

 

“We could if you’d take the curse off,” the fairy prince said, but was ignored.

 

“I could make Taemin an exception like I am to Jonghyun’s curse and we could help you. I might be small, but I am a witch and pretty powerful not to sound flattering or anything.”

 

Minho  looked at Taemin, the younger prince just shrugged. “Alright, I suppose it would be beneficial to have more help for this quest. I want to quickly marry Taemin, so your help would be appreciated.”

 

The fairy fluttered up and pointed his scepter at the other one. “Alright then, let him go and I’ll fix the spell.”

 

Minho  untied Jonghyun and the beast fairy flapped his dragon like wings until he was in front of Key, turned away from Taemin. Sparksflew out of the witch’s scepter and hit him. He made a small noise before shaking himself off and looked at Taemin.

 

“Okay, it worked, I don’t feel like tearing him apart. Are we really going to go with them?” Jonghyun asked.

 

“Yes. You could learn a thing or two by watching them you know,” Key said and went to sit on Minho’s shoulder, the beat fairy following after. “Let’s go then.”

 

Minho  sat up, Taemin doing the same and intertwined their fingers. He led them through the woods and back to the spring where the black stallion was still tied up.

 

“We’ll collect some water first. Since there are more of us, we’ll have to get more water,” Minho  said and pulled out two large water bags, handing one to Taemin and the approached the stream, filling the bags up.

 

Once that task was completed, Minhoheld out a hand to help Taemin onto the horse then untied it and got on after. He wrapped his arms around Taemin’s waist, hugging him for a moment before taking up the reigns and Taemin leaned back into his chest smiling up at him.

 

“Kiss,” the younger prince requested and Minho  leaned down, pecking his lips.

 

“Are they going to be like this the whole time?” Jonghyun asked resting on one of Minho’s shoulders.

 

“Shush, it’s cute,” Key said resting on his other.

 

“Are you two going to bicker the entire time?” Minho  asked started the horse on a slow gallop.

 

“Yes,” they both answered at the same time.

 

“Then we’ll all just have to learn how to live with it.”

 

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆`* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆`***

 

 

After a day’s travel, the scenery began to change. The usual piney trees and bushy flowers transformed into tall plants with stems that blossomed into large colorful blooms that Minho  had never seen before. It was late in the morning and they hadn’t slept the night before, a unanimous decision by all four as they wanted to make more ground, but Minho  ended up being the only one not to sleep, Taemin’s eyes closed sometime close to morning snuggled up on Minho’s chest with the witch fairy curled up on his fallen asleep hours before. The beast dragon was the first asleep, almost falling off Minho’s shoulder and he had reluctantly laid him on Taemin’s lap for more stability. He felt as if he should have been tired, but when he occasionally looked down to see his fiancé’s sleeping face, Minho  felt energized again. The younger prince was adorable when he slept.

 

Not all the trees were tropical yet in the area Minho  found himself trotting through. The beast fairy had woken up a couple hours before and was fluttering about seeming to want to fly further, but it was almost like there was a leash on him that kept him from going too far. Minho  supposed there very well could be how else could Key be able to keep the beast fairy from running away from him.

 

Suddenly, the beast fairy stopped and looked around.

 

“Is something wrong?” Minho  asked slowing the horse down.

 

“I hear something.”

 

Minho  frowned and maneuvered a bit, taking the map out and looking at it. “Well, we are getting close to a couple small kingdoms, I wouldn’t be surprise if there were travelers this way as well.”

 

The fairy shook his head and moved closer to Minho. “Alright, but I’m hiding for a bit.”

 

Minho  almost jumped when the fairy went down his shirt, but he supposed it was fine. He moved Taemin’s yellow jacket around as well so it covered most of the witch fairy sleeping on his chest and started up again.

 

It was just as Minho  had started getting at ease again that someone suddenly jumped out in front of them. The black stallion neighed and reared back. Minho  quickly pulled on the reigns trying to keep all four of them balanced until the horse finally steadied back down. Taemin’s head popped up, chestnut locks poking out every which way and both fairies fluttered about curiously. Minho  got off the horse and patted its flank to keep it calm before walking in front of it. There was a body lying on the ground and Minho  cautiously walked over to it.

 

“M-Minho…what is it?” Taemin asked, voice sleepy and scared.

 

Minho  bent down and poked at the person lying on the groaned. They groaned and rolled over and Minho  gasped. They’re eyes were cloudy, almost white. “Are you alright?”

 

The man sat up and shook himself looking around and then shook himself again. “Thang it!” His fist came down onto the ground over and over.

 

“Hey, are you alright? Stop that, you’ll hurt yourself,” Minho  said reaching out only to have his hands slapped away.

 

“I don’t need your help,” the man said and stood up on shaky feet. His hands stayed out in front of him as he tried to start walking again, continuing to mutter curses and other complaints under his breath.

 

Minho  took a step back to examine the man and realized decided his assumptions were right. “Excuse you, I don’t mean to be rude, but you’re blind right?”

 

The man turned to him, eyes looking a little bit off from where Minho  was, and sighed. “Yeah, but it wasn’t my choice.”

 

“I don’t think being blind is anyone’s choice. Do you need help getting to where you’re going?”

 

The man shrugged. “I don’t even know where I’m going anymore to be honest. I just…I don’t know. I can’t go back home like this.”

 

“Who are you?” Taemin asked.

 

The man looked over to where the younger prince’s voice came from. “There are more of you?”

 

“Yes, who are you?”

 

“Tell me who you two are first,” the man said. “It’s not like a blind man can do anything to you.”

 

Minho  stepped forward. “I’m Choi Minho, prince of the EasternCoast. This is my fiancé, Lee Taemin, second prince of the kingdom Aurora.”

 

The man chuckled. “Ah, princes, of course. You must be here for my father’s ball.”

 

“No, we’re on a quest, are you a prince as well?” Minho  asked, the two fairies fluttered around his head, but stayed quiet otherwise.

 

The blind man bowed. “Prince Cho Kyuhyun. I’m the nephew of the king of the next kingdom over. I wasn’t born blind you know.”

 

“Then what happened?” Taemin asked.

 

The man sighed. “You could say my princess got mad at me.”

 

“Princess?”

 

“Yeah, maybe you guys can help me actually. The princess is stuck in a tower over the way I just came from. If I counted my footsteps right, it shouldn’t be too far,” Kyuhyun explained.

 

Minho  looked at Taemin. The younger prince nodded and moved from the horse. “He should ride on the horse, we both need to do some walking.”

 

Minho  nodded and helped the blind prince onto his horse. “We’ll go see about this princess of yours then.”

 

The fairies fluttered around the blind prince, seeming to be investigating or something. He kept swatting at them and Minho  made a motion to get them away from him and to be good. It was a difficult to walk through the jungle like area Kyuhyun had indicated, but eventually they came to a clearing with a tall stone tower. Minho  handed the reigns of the horse to Taemin and started out first, approaching the tower. When he was about then feet from its base, something came flying at him. He looked down to see a figurine followed by another and he retreated.

 

“What is this, an ambush?” Minho  asked coming back to the horse.

 

“No, it’s the princess I said was up there. They’re mad at me. Here, help me down and I’ll go.”

 

Minho  did so and helped lead the blind prince to the tower.

 

“Sungmin, I swear if you throw something at me again I really will leave you alone here.”

 

A blonde head suddenly popped out from the window of the tower. “You came back!”

 

“Of course, what do you expect. I only ran off because you throwing things at me.”

 

“Well, I wouldn’t throw things at you if you hadn’t said that.”

 

“Why in the world would you throw stuff at a blind man anyways?”

 

Minho  cleared his throat. “Excuse me, but could we maybe know why our friend here is blind? We were traveling and my horse almost got him. I’d hate for that to happen again.”

 

The ‘princess’ looked down from their tower, a pout on their face. “Fine, I’ll tell you. That jerk won’t take responsibility for his children.”

 

“Sungmin, I told you, I can’t just bring a man to the castle, especially a pregnant one. I even have a fiancé.”

 

“Then why’d you sleep with me in the first place?”

 

“Because I don’t like my fiancé, and you didn’t tell me you could get pregnant.”

 

Minho  heard shuffling behind him and turned his head to see Taemin. He called out to the ‘princess’.

 

“Are you cursed, or was it a spell?”

 

“Oh, you’re adorable,” the ‘princess’ said. “It was a curse. When I was little, my sister, Sunny, was learning magic and she got into a book. There was a joke that we were both princesses, so she wanted me to be like other princesses. I was older, so I guess she got it into her head that I should have babies. She messed up the spell and it turned into a curse and all the guys in our kingdom went after me wanting to make babies. It was annoying.”

 

“Why are you in a tower?” Minho  asked.

 

“My parents put me here for my protection until they could find me a prince not affected by the curse, one from another kingdom, but my kingdom’s surrounded by kingdoms that still don’t want their queens to be men, so it’s been hard work finding someone. Sunny occasionally comes to bring me food, but I can’t leave the tower for safety precautions.”

 

“That’s horrible,” Taemin gasped.

 

Minho  turned to Kyuhyun. “How did you get up there?”

 

“Well, there was a rope, but it broke earlier today when Sungmin was throwing stuff at me. You can climb up it and pull it through the window, but if it’s not pulled through the window, you can’t reach it when you’re up there.”

 

“Why did you go up there the first time?”

 

Kyuhyun sighed and turned away from the tower beckoning them over, keeping his voice down, he began to talk. “I was just walking this way, minding my own business. My father actually sent me on a quest or something, but I don’t like dirty work like that, I like books and table games, intellectual stuff. I saw this tower and was curious so I climbed up. I saw a really pretty guy and well…if you two are engaged you probably know what happened. I kept coming and we started talking and then one thing led to another and he’s pregnant.”

 

“You fell in love and had sex,” Taemin stated bluntly.

 

“Taemin…” Minho  started a little embarrassed.

 

“What, we did too, that’s what he meant, right?”

 

Kyuhyun chuckled. “Yeah…I guess.”

 

“If you’re in love with him, then why can’t you take the responsibility for the babies?”

 

The blind prince sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “It’s not like I don’t want to, but it’ll be difficult. I never wanted to get married or anything, and he’s a guy after all. He never really told me why he was in the tower, but we really didn’t know each other more than maybe three months.”

 

“Why are you blind?” Minho  asked.

 

“I came here last night and we, well you know, and this morning he was sick and told me about the babies and then, well I wasn’t ready for it. I told him I couldn’t and he got mad. Apparently his witch sister taught him some magic and now I’m blind until I take responsibility.”

 

“It’s not like I don’t want to, I just can’t,” Kyuhyun explained. “My kingdom is the most reluctant about these things. I really…until I met Sungmin I didn’t want any of those things, but now thinking that I have children…I want them.”

 

Minho  turned to look at his fiancé. Taemin seemed deep in thought. “Sungmin’s kingdom is okay with it, you should just go there. You’re only the nephew of the king, but you can be the king’s son-in-law if you take over Sungmin’s kingdom.”

 

Kyuhyun nodded. “You’re right. I didn’t event think about that. I’ve always wanted to run away. What better way then with my pregnant lover. Alright, but how am I supposed to get him down. His sister goes up with magic, I think the rope was only for emergencies and it’s broken.”

 

“I can help with that.”

 

Kyuhyun jumped at the sound of the witch fairy’s voice. “There are more of you?”

 

“Um, yes there’s four of us, sorry about that. We have a witch on our team, too. He’s a fairy.”

 

“A fairy, I’ve don’t believe it.”

 

“You will when you can see again. Um, Key, what were you thinking?”

 

The witch fairy fluttered up the tower to where the ‘princess’ was. “Hello, have you met a fairy before.”

 

The ‘princess’ nodded. “When I was little, my kingdom’s close to a batch of them. I’ve never met a witch one though.”

 

“I’m one of the only ones. Now then, you have really pretty hair, ever thought about growing it out?”

 

Sungmin shook is head.

 

“Well, let’s see what it would look like,” Key said and waved his scepter. Suddenly, the ‘princess’’ hair began to grow long and gold, until it spilled out of the window.

 

“Wow, it’s so long, but why did we do this?”

 

“Do you have a knife or scissors?” Key asked and the ‘princess pointed to a pair of scissor on the bed.

 

The tiny creature grunted as he worked to cut off the long hair, holding the hips in his hands. “We need to tie this end up and then use your bed sheets to tie it to the bed so you can climb down.”

 

“We’re using my hair as a rope?”

 

“You didn’t have enough bed sheets. Hurry up, I’m not big enough for this.”

 

The ‘princess’ quickly did as the fairy said and climbed down the golden tresses. The fairy let fluttered after and flew over, landing on Minho’s shoulder tiredly. “That was too much work.”

 

Minho  laughed and Taemin reached up, taking Key from his shoulder and cradling the worn out fairy, Jonghyun fluttering around them before hiding in Taemin’s hair, seeming not to look at the ‘princess’.

 

“Sungmin!” Kyuhyun called out, hands held out wide.

 

The ‘princess’ ran into his arms and hugged him tight. “Are you really going to take responsibility for the babies?”

 

Kyuhyun nodded. “Yes, let’s run away together, back to your kingdom. I’ll protect you from any guy that tried to touch you, but you have to take away this blindness first. I want to be able to see when my children are born.”

 

Sungmin nodded and moved away. He turned to the witch fairy. “I actually don’t know the reversal spell, do you?”

 

Key sighed and tapped Taemin’s wrist to carry him over closer. “Yes I do, but people who don’t know magic shouldn’t go around cursing people.”

 

He waved his scepter then cuddled back into Taemin’s hands. “Okay, just kiss and it’ll go away.”

 

Before Sungmin could say anything, Kyuhyun grabbed his face and smashed his lips against his. He pulled away, his eyes were no longer clouded and he hugged Sungmin to him. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. Okay, come with me and I’ll get stuff from my kingdom. I’ll make sure we really can’t stay there and then we’ll run away.”

 

Minho  moved over and held Taemin’s waist as they watched the older princes walk away after many a thank you. Once they had disappeared into the trees, Minho  turned and kissed Taemin’s forehead. “Let’s keep going, we’ll stop at the next spring.”


	6. Announcement for the Black Swan

**Chapter 6 – Announcement for the Black Swan**

 

 

When Onew awoke the next day, he half expected to see Seunghyun’s naked body lying beside him, hover the space the swan prince had slept beside him in was empty and Onew frown. Had last night been only a dream? Surely not, he could steal feel Seunghyun’s lips on his, and his arms were warm, and indication that a body had laid in them not long a go. Onew sat up and a few black feathers fell away onto the blanket he’d spread out the night before. Onew picked one up and ran his hand softly across it, smiling at the black feather before he stood up.

 

“Alright, let’s get going,” he said to his horse. The stallion’s eyes opened at the sound of his master’s voice and he neighed softly in announce before shaking himself. Onew gathered his small camp up and back everything back on the horse. He looked up at the sun to see the direction Seunghyun had indicated the castle was and mounted his horse.

 

There was a part of Onew, somewhere in the back of his head that thought he should turn around and continue on his quest to find his brother. It criticized him for taking this detour for a boy that he hardly knew in exchange for his brother that was probably being ravished every hour by his so called ‘fiancé’, but there was also that larger part that took up most of Onew’s heart that said his brother would forgive him for wanting to help Seunghyun, to love him. After all, Taemin had been the one that was taught about true love and fairytales.

                                             

Onew tapped his heels against the horse’s flank and they changed to a quick trot. The trees around them disappeared and a large flat area was revealed with many little homes and what looked like a market surrounding a much larger building, not quite as big as his own castle, but still substantial.

 

Onew trotted through the tow, looking curiously as stalls were set up along side people’s houses, some had carts they rolled to the market place a ways off. The people all smiled at Onew, but there was something in their faces that didn’t quite pull off the happy townspeople look they were trying to show. Onew figured it had something to do with their missing prince and hurried to the front gates of the castle.

 

The guards at the font gate blocked his way.

 

“I am Prince Onew of the Northern kingdom, Aurora. I request entry into the castle and audience with the king.”

 

“Do you have proof?” the guard asked.

 

Onew pulled out a necklace from under his shirt and presented it to the guard. “Our royal emblem.”

 

The guard nodded and signaled for the door keeper to open the door. He entered and was greeted by a servant who took his horse and another led him to the throne room doors.

 

“If you’ll wait here, my prince, the king is just about to start seeing people,” the servant said. “We’ll announce your presence and you can go in.”

 

Onew watched the servant dart away and turned his attention to the doors. He could hear shuffling inside and the sounds of low voiced arguing. Suddenly, a loud voice boomed into the hall.

 

“Entering Crown Prince Onew of the kingdom Aurora.”

 

The doors opened and Onew entered the room. The throne room was much smaller than the one in his own kingdom and there was only a small gathering of people in the room. There wasn’t even a rise that led to the thrones, just a rich and decorated carpet. The throne was actually a double throne and two men sat on it; one blond and the other with orange colored hair.

 

The blonde stood and bowed followed by the other. “I cam king Jonghun and this is my partner and Queen, Hongki.”

 

Onew bowed in return. “I am honored to meet you.”

 

“What have you come here for?”

 

Onew looked around. Beside the throne stood two men, both with dark hair. The younger of the two glared at Onew and the prince decided it was best to use few words and get to the point.

 

“I come to you in the interest of marrying your son.”

 

There was a gasp in the room and the look on the king’s face proved that there was still a sadness over Seunghyun’s disappearance. “I’m sorry you traveled all this way for not; our son has been missing for months now.”

 

Onew shook his head. “If I find and bring your son back to you tonight, will you give me his hand in marriage?”

 

“That’s impossible!”

 

Onew just smiled. “I’ll definitely do it. Hold a party tonight for the return of your son and his engagement.”

 

“Are you certain of this?”

 

Onew nodded and bowed. “I will require a change of clothes and then take my leave to begin my search.”

 

“Of course, and please take a snack and rest before you go.”

 

 Onew bowed again and turned to leave, but tripped with his first step and stumbled out of the room.

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆`* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆`***

 

 

After a quick snack and some pleasantries in Seunghyun’s castle, Onew took rode his horse back out into the woods and looked around for the lake he had found Seunghyun at the night before figuring he would go back there after running away that morning. However, as he rode around, he felt as if someone was watching. He looked at the sky and decided to make it seem like he didn’t know where Seunghyun was until he felt like he was alone again and trotted over to the lake. He set up a little camp in the trees and kept an eye out for the black swan.

 

It was twilight before Onew got a sign of the swan. He woke up from an unintentional snap by the sound of rustling. He picked up his bow and arrow and pointed it in the direction of the sound. It was coming from the lake and Onew peaked around a tree seeing the black swan land on the water’s surface. Swirls of mist wrapped around its body as the moonlight touched its black feathers and transformed it into Onew’s love. Onew quickly walked out.

 

“Seunghyun.”

 

The swan prince turned his head and his startled expression quickly turned into that of a smile. He walked over to Onew and the older prince held his arms out, wrapping them around Seunghyun.

 

“You came back,” Seunghyun said.

 

“Of course I did, I said I’d make you my queen, right.” Onew took a step back and smiled down at Seunghyun before lowering his head and kissing him.

 

Seunghyun’s arms wrapped around his neck and he leaned up, kissing back, but pulled away when Onew’s hands moved lower on his bare skin.

 

“Oh, sorry.”

 

Seunghyun shook his head with an embarrassed smile. “No, it’s alright.”

 

“I have clothes for you. I went to your castle and got a change.”

 

“Oh, you saw my parents?”

 

Onew stepped back and went to get Seunghyun’s clothes. He could hear the swan prince stepping after him. “Yes, they were nice; didn’t seem to believe that I’d bring you back tonight.”

 

He handed the clothes to Seunghyun and turned around so the swan prince could change though he’d already seen Seunghyun naked.

 

“We’re going back tonight?”

 

“Yes, do they know about the curse?”

 

“No, it was only my uncle and his caretaker. Alright, I’m dressed.”

 

Onew turned and smiled seeing Seunghyun dressed in loose breeches and a semi opened tunic shirt. He had seen the men of the kingdom wearing similar clothing. “I told them to hold a celebration for us tonight. I’ll help you on the horse.”

 

They both mounted Onew’s horse and started back toward the castle. Onew enjoyed having Seunghyun’s smaller back against his chest and kept to a slow trot. Halfway through the trees, though, he could feel someone watching him again. He looked around and stopped when he saw two men standing in their way. He barely recognized them as the men he’d seen standing next to the thrones in the castle.

 

“Minwoo,” Seunghyun gasped.

 

“Who are they?” Onew asked, turning his horse slightly and wrapping one arm around Seunghyun’s waist.

 

“It’s my uncle and his guardian,” Seunghyun said.

 

Onew immediately glared at them. “What do you want?”

 

“I knew you were more than a high spirited prince,” the younger of the two men said. “I should have known you’d already found him. I bet he didn’t tell you he’s soiled already.”

“I am not!” Seunghyun defended.

 

“Of course you are how else would you seduce the first man you see and why else would you stay out on that lake for so long.”

 

Seunghyun turned and looked at Onew with urgency in his eyes. “I’m pure I swear.”

 

Onew smiled at him. “I believe you.” He looked at the other men and glared more. “Step aside. I love Seunghyun and he will be mine.”

 

Minwoo snapped his fingers and his guardian pulled out a staff. “You shall not pass. I will not let anyone else have Seunghyun. Our kingdom needs to stay in the family, a marriage between the uncle and the prince would ensure that. If he married you, this kingdom would be owned by yours.”

 

“We can help you regain your riches,” Onew said. “Besides, this has nothing to do with politics, I simply love Seunghyun.”

 

“Like I would believe that, Jaejin!”

 

The guardian lifted his scepter and a stream of light and mist headed for Onew. He reared his horse and kept hold of Seunghyun with one hand as he galloped away. More streams of magic followed after him and Onew did some quickly thinking.  
  
“Here,” he said and handed Seunghyun the reigns, “take these.”

 

He turned around and plucked the bow and arrows. He strung one and let it loose, happy when he heard a yelp of surprise. He kept sending arrows until he couldn’t hear the yelps and took the reigns back, making the horse go at full force as they made a u-turn back to the castle. He saw the castle’s gates and yelled ahead for them to be opened. He rushed the horses past the guards and didn’t wait for a servant as he dismounted and pulled Seunghyun off with him. He ran, hand around Seunghyun’s waist, into the castle and followed the growing decorations in the halls until he came to a ball room. It was small and filled. Everyone stared at them.

 

Someone gasped and Onew turned to see the king and queen rushing over to them. They both pulled Seunghyun into their arms and held him tight.

 

“I can’t believe you actually found him. Where have you been all this time?” the queen asked.

 

Onew grabbed Seunghyun’s arm and pulled him away a bit. “There’s not time for that right now, I have to do something and then we can explain.” He turned to Seunghyun. “What exactly do I have to do?”

 

Seunghyun had tears in his eyes, but shook them away and smiled at Onew. “You have to tell everyone you love me.”

“Well, that won’t be hard. Everyone, I have an announcement!”

 

Once everyone attention was on him, Onew cleared his throat and took Seunghyun’s hands in his. “I, Lee Onew, heir to the Aurorakingdom, would like to make Seunghyun, prince of this kingdom, my queen. He is beautiful, and though we just met, I have fallen deeply and madly in…”

 

“Stop!”

 

Onew turned his head and saw Seunghyun’s uncle and the guardian in the doorway.

 

“Stop, do not let him fool you, that prince is the one that’s kept Seunghyun locked up all these months, he’s brainwashed him into loving him. Isn’t it strange that he was able to find Seunghyun so easily?”

 

The king and queen looked at Onew and nodded. “It is a bit strange. How did you find him, Prince Onew?”

 

Onew glared at Minwoo. “I was on a quest to find my brother when I happen by a lake. On that lake a black swan that I had shot at intending to be dinner laid. When its black feathers were touched by moonlight, it turned into Seunghyun. Your son was cursed, cursed by his uncle and his guardian.”

 

There were gasps again. Onew could see Minwoo’s face become distorted in anger and he snapped his fingers again. His guardian lifted his scepter and mist escaped. Onew tried to block Seunghyun, but it wrapped around him and he lifted into the air. A yell escaped him turning into a bird call as he was forced back into his swan appearance.

 

“It’s even worse then I thought. Seunghyun wasn’t turned into a swan, the swan was turned into Seunghyun, and he’s just here to take over our kingdom with a fake prince.”

 

Onew looked around; it seemed as if everyone was becoming convinced. He went over to Seunghyun and lifted the black swan’s face in his hands. Tears escaped Seunghyun’s eyes; Onew didn’t know birds could cry.

 

“I, Lee Onew, Prince of Aurora, have fallen madly and deeply for Seunghyun of your kingdom. I brought him here today, whether it his form or another, it doesn’t matter, for you all to see I love him.” Onew bent down and lightly kissed the top of the black swan’s head.

 

Mist once again surrounded Seunghyun and suddenly, a naked prince kneeled before Onew, his clothes having slipped off when turned into a bird. Onew immediately pulled him into his arms, trying to cover him up.

 

“Whether you believe this is your son or not, I love him and we will marry. If you don’t believe he is your son, then I will take him with me on my quest, though it will be dangerous and difficult. If you believe he is your son, then if I may leave him in your care until my quest is finished then I would appreciate it.”

 

The queen ran over and kneeled beside Onew, wrapping a cloak around Seunghyun. “I believe you. Such words can not be a spell, but a way to break a curse. And I know my brother-in-law is hot headed. We will give you our son only if he loves you back.”

 

Seunghyun looked up at Onew. He smiled and wrapped his arms around his neck, kissing him before turning to his parents. “I love him, I do. Let me be with him, he saved me.”

 

“Of course,” the king said coming over as well then turned to his guests. “This is now an engagement party for my son. Please enjoy it to the fullest.”  

 

And so they danced and mingled after Seunghyun was given a proper change of clothes until late into the night. However, Onew and Seunghyun retired early for Onew had to leave the next day to continue his quest in finding his brother.

 

They both stood in Seunghyun’s room which was clean but seemed untouched since the day he’d disappeared. Onew held Seunghyun’s hands in his and smiled at him.

 

“Do you really have to leave so soon?”

 

Onew smiled suddenly. “Unfortunately, that is so. I couldn’t bear to leave my little brother in the hands of a man that would touch him before talking to his brother or even our mother.”

 

“Let me come with you then.”

 

Onew leaned down and pecked Seunghyun’s lips. “I can’t, it’s far too dangerous for someone with no training in the sword or the bow.”

 

Seunghyun frowned. “I have no training in either of those. I don’t want to hinder you, so I shall stay until you come get me.”

 

Onew leaned down and kissed Seunghyun again. “I have a selfish request to ask of you though, before I leave. Let me make you mine.”

Seunghyun blushed and looked away. “We’re not married yet.”

 

“We will be. Let me have this night to remember you, so that I can dream of you in my arms when I sleep outside under the stars.”

 

“What if you don’t come back?”

 

Onew lifted the necklace from his neck and placed it in Seunghyun’s hands. “You may have this and travel to my kingdom. Tell them you’re my queen and they will treat you well if I take too long or you get antsy waiting, go there.”

 

Seunghyun nodded and wrapped his arms around Onew’s neck, kissing him then whispered into his hear. “I’ll let you have me tonight. It’s a bit wrong for my kingdom, but if it’s for my fiancé, then I’m alright with it. You said your kingdom’s night comes before the day and I shall be your kingdom’s queen.”

 

Onew nodded and kissed Seunghyun again, tongues sliding against each other. He held him close and ran his hands down the swan prince’s sides, grabbing the edge of his shirt and lifted the tunic above his head. He placed kisses along Seunghyun’s neck and shoulder and down his chest, the swan prince letting out soft moans and laughs as Onew kissed on his stomach, tickling the sensitive skin before pulling his pants free.

 

Seunghyun stepped back, flushing pink under the candle light that came from the few lamps still lit around the room. He kept backing up until he reached the bed and laid himself there, completely exposed and looking at Onew nervously.

 

Onew stripped himself and slowly climbed onto the bed as well. He looked Seunghyun up and down and smiled comfortingly at him. “I’ll be honest, I’ve never done this before, it might not be as good as I wish it could be for you.”

 

Seunghyun shook his head. “It’s fine; just…please…touch me already. It’s weird…be stared at by you.”

 

Onew looked at Seunghyun curiously before looking down and saw the swan prince already hard. He smiled and took the length into his hand, stroking it up and down and Seunghyun writhe beneath him. Onew leaned down and licked one of the swan prince’s nipples. He wanted to bring his promised queen as much pleasure as he could before bringing him the pain he knew came with this sort of intercourse. Seunghyun called out softly, little pleas of his name and more. Onew pulled away a bit and looked over Seunghyun decided what to do next. He moved between his legs and pulled both of them onto his shoulder, lifting his hips high. Seunghyun gave out a surprised cry and looked at Onew curiously. Onew just smiled again and bent hid head down between Seunghyun’s legs, one of them slipping off his shoulder and widening the view of his virgin hole.

 

“Ah…O-Onew!’ Seunghyun squeaked when Onew licked his entrance and covered his face.

 

“I have to stretch you,” Onew said and continued, working his tongue inside and stretching the swan prince, wetting him.

 

Seunghyun moaned, face still covered with his hands until Onew’s tongue was replaced by three of his fingers.

 

“Ah…h-hurts.”

 

Onew let his other leg drop and moved up, kissing Seunghyun. “It’ll feel better in a little,” he promised and continued to kiss Seunghyun, adding a fourth, moving them in and out and twisting.

 

“I-isn’t that enough?” Seunghyun asked when they broke for air.

 

Onew sat back, staking his fingers out and stroked himself a bit. “Well, if you think so, I was just making sure it’d fit.”

 

Seunghyun’s eyes widened when he saw Onew’s member. “Y-you’re…big.”

 

Onew chuckled nervously. “Yeah, well, that doesn’t really matter. Put a pillow under your hips and lay back down.”

 

Seunghyun obeyed and Onew positioned himself at his entrance then slowly pushed in.

 

“Hurts!” Seunghyun yelled and Onew leaned down, kissing him until he was all the way sheathed. He continued to kiss Seunghyun until the tingle of the other’s heat around his member was too much to take.

 

Onew pulled away and whispered, “I love you, Seunghyun,” before beginning to move.

 

“Hurts…hurts…hurts,” Seunghyun chanted, but every time Onew thought of stopping, his fiancé’s thighs would hold him steady in place. Soon Seunghyun’s chants turned into moans and his hips moved up into Onew’s thrusts. He held onto the pillows above his head and moaned out his name and words of innocent encouragement.

 

Seunghyun was tight around Onew and the friction was too much. He wrapped a hand around Seunghyun’s member and stroked it with his thrusts. The friction built up until Onew moaned and came deep inside Seunghyun. He milked himself with a few deep but lazy thrusts and moved his hand faster until Seunghyun arched and came hard between them. The swan prince’s breaths were hard and his eyes traveled around the room before meeting with Onew’s.

 

“I love you,” Onew said and leaned over his fiancé, pressing a kiss to his lips.

 

“Love you, too,” Seunghyun whispered against his lips and wrapped his arms around his neck. The kiss became heated again and Seunghyun started to move his hips, Onew still buried inside him.

 

“I want you to remember me until we see each other again, burn me into your mind all night,” Seunghyun said, voice quiet.

 

“If you wish,” Onew said and smiled, beginning to move again. 

 


	7. Snow White Prince

**Chapter 7 – Snow White Prince**

 

A few day’s travel later found Minho  and their group caught in an unexpected mid spring snow fall. The two fairies snuggled in Minho’s shirt and Minho  held a blanket tightly around Taemin and he while they trotted through the light snow that covered the area. It was nothing like the snow that covered his own kingdom every winter or the snow he knew must cover a Northern kingdomlike Taemin’s. By the look of the almost tropical environment, the snow was a rare and small occurrence particularly in spring.

 

“Minho,” Taemin said, looking up at Minho, face a little pale, “let’s stop soon.”

 

Minho  leaned down and kisses him, happy that the other’s lips steal felt warm and there was a blush on his cheeks when he pulled away telling him that Taemin wasn’t sick. He smiled and nodded. “Alright, as soon as we can find a good place to stop we will.”

 

They trotted along a little faster. The occasional brush of a wing on his skin told him that the fairies hadn’t dropped like most insects would in the spring. Then again, Minho  wasn’t sure whether he could call them insects or if they were more human. He could tell the black stallion he’d been leant was getting restless as well and decided he would have to buy another horse for Taemin to lessen the burden not that he didn’t like riding when his fiancé in front of him, but the least he could do was back the bags onto another horse or a donkey.  

 

The snow slowly came to a stop, just a few flakes falling here and there and Minho  pulled the horse to a stop, looking around and listening. The forest floor was covered in a very thin layer of snow and the green vegetation and brightly colored flowers where sprinkled prettily with white. He tried to listen for running water as he was sure such little snow couldn’t have frozen any so soon. It was barely there, but Minho  heard it and kicked the horse’s flank lightly back into a trot heading in the direction of the water.

 

Taemin gasped and pointed ahead of them after a few minutes. Minho  slowed down and looked to where his fiancé was indicating and saw a small village only a few streets wide next to a river. Minho  quickly guided the horse to jump across the river and to the village. He frowned looking at it, it seemed dark and dreary, not at all matching to the semi-tropical climate. Taemin snuggled close to him as he approached the village gate and a guard stopped him.

 

“What is your business here, traveler?” the guard asked.

                                                                                                                             

“We ask refuge for rest is all. We traveled many days and would like somewhere to rest until the snow melts tomorrow,” Minho  said.

 

The guard looked out across the river and frowned. “I’m afraid even if the snow melts over night, it’ll just come again in the morning.”

 

Minho  looked at him confused, but was deterred from asking more questions as the town’s gates were opened before him.

 

“We have only one inn, go ahead and rest there.”

 

Minho  and Taemin thanked the guard and trotted into the village. It was obvious where the inn was, a large sign indicated it outside the door and he parked the horse there, tethering it to the line of posts outside. He helped Taemin down and poked the two fairies. They fluttered out and went to hide in one of the bags as Minho  brought what he thought they’d need and followed Taemin into the inn.

 

A pretty girl stood behind the desk of the inn. She turned and smiled when she saw them. “Oh, visitors; how may I help you?”

 

Minho  turned to Taemin and placed a hand on his head. “We would like a room, please.”

 

“Oh, of course, I wouldn’t want your little sister getting sick now would we. A two bed then?” the girl turned and started shuffling through a book.

 

Minho  wanted to correct her. He could see Taemin pouting, arms crossed and slipped his hand from Taemin’s head to around his shoulders. When the girl turned back around she looked at them curiously.

 

“Oh, I’m sorry to ask this, but are you a prince by any chance?”

 

Minho  looked up and down himself realizing he was in the expensive riding clothes Heechul had given him and then there was Taemin still dressed in his usual long skirt and jacket. There was really no way of denying it and he didn’t intend to.

 

“Yes, but don’t worry yourself, we’re just passing through.”

 

The girl shook her head. “No, no, this is good, you could save us.”

 

“Save you?”

 

She nodded her head. “Yes, yes. You see, it actually only snows occasionally during the winter here, but for almost a year now, it has snowed lightly like this every day. The plants are dying not use to this kind of weather and we really don’t know how to deal with it.”

 

“Do you know why it’s snowing like this?” Minho  asked curious of the sudden mystery.

 

“Yes, it’s a curse. Two years ago the mayor of the town – we sometimes call him the king – well he got remarried to a very young girl who was about the same age as his son. The son was very beautiful. While most people in the village were tanned by the bright sun here, the son always stayed inside, being taught knowledge to take over as mayor once his father died and so his skin was white like the snow we rarely saw and because we rarely saw him ourselves, we nick named him the Snow White Prince. Many girls wanted to be his wife, he was a handsome and pretty boy, but his new stepmother was just as pretty and she got jealous of him. There were rumors that even she wanted him and that the curse wasn’t because she wanted to the fairest in town but because she wanted him for herself. When we found out she was a witch, the mayor banished her and she cursed the town as well.”

 

“What is the curse? Where is this boy?” Minho  asked.

 

“She cursed the Snow White Prince into an internal sleep and cursed the town to snow until he awakens,” the girl said and frowned.

 

Taemin piped up. “How will he wake up?”

 

The girl smiled again and tapped her lips. “A kiss on the lips of a prince, a real prince.” She turned to Minho  and looked at him expectantly.

 

Minho  frowned. He could never kiss another prince and a part of him felt that even if he or Taemin were to kiss the sleeping boy, it wouldn’t work. He sighed and bowed.

“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid we can’t help you with this curse.”

 

“But why, aren’t you a real prince?”

 

Minho  wrapped an arm around Taemin’s waist. “I am and so is he.”

 

She looked and Taemin curiously and the younger prince cuddled up to his side.

 

“I don’t believe your Snow White Prince would want to awaken to a kiss by a prince who was already taken. This is my fiancé and we would like a single bed, please.”

 

The girl’s eyes widened and she bowed to them. “Oh, I’m sorry. He’s just so pretty and young I though he must be your sisters.”

 

Taemin giggled and cuddled closer to Minho. “No, I’m going to be his queen. This is just how my kingdom dresses the pretty boys. We dress to what looks good on us, not to our gender.”

 

The girl looked a bit awed by such a thing and nodded. “Alright, I understand. Forgive me for spewing nonsense and asking such unreasonable things. I knew if someone asked my fiancé to kiss someone I wouldn’t be happy with it.”

 

“It’s quite alright,” Minho  said. “We understand you had only good intentions.”

 

The girl turned around and picked a key handing it to Taemin. “This is the key to your room, it has the number on it. Please enjoy your stay and make yourself comfortable. We have many little shops outside and a fine restaurant across from us or I could cook you something.”

 

Minho  thanked her and led Taemin up the stairs of the inn with his bag until they reached room seven, the one rented to them for the night. Taemin walked ahead and flopped himself onto the large white bed, rolling about. Minho  chuckled and put the bags down before flopping down beside Taemin. The younger prince smiled and scooted closer to Minho, nuzzling against his chest and then looked up and pecked him on the lips. Minho  smiled back and lightly caressed Taemin’s face, feeling relaxed finally have a bed to lay on and leaned down, kissing Taemin a little harder. The younger prince lifted a hand to Minho’s neck and touched it, kissing back and a small moan escaped him.

 

“Yah!”

 

Suddenly, the two fairies flew out of their bag and the witch started yanking at Minho’s hair making them separate.

 

“Hey, stop that,” Minho  said swatting at Key.

 

“You stop molesting that cutie while I’m still here!”

 

“You were in the bag, and I wasn’t molesting him.”

 

The fairy witch finally let go of his hair and went to nestle himself in Taemin’s lap, the beast fairy sitting a little ways off.

 

Taemin pet Key’s head lightly. “He wasn’t molesting me…and we’re engaged so it’s fine if he does, you know.”

 

The fairy just looked up at Taemin wide eyed. “He’s already touched you, hasn’t he?”

 

Taemin just giggled and smiled brightly. “Our nights come before our days in my kingdom.”

 

Minho  shook his head and sighed. “Are you all hungry?”

 

“Yes, are we going to go eat?”

 

Minho  stood up and looked through their bags, getting out the money purse he was given. “Let’s go get some food in our stomachs.”

 

The fairies hid in Minho’s shirt again. He didn’t like them being in Taemin’s jacket after a first day, though the witch fairy still went there sometimes, but it was awkward having to have them hide all the time. He wondered if there was a different way of dealing with their small tag-a-longs.

 

 They crossed the road and walked over to the restaurant the girl had indicated before. Minho  kept an arm around Taemin’s waist and led him to a table letting Key slip out and into Taemin’s jacket to watch over him as he went to the receptionist to get food.

 

“Yes, what may I get you?” a boy asked from behind the counter.

 

“We would like meat, maybe vegetables if you can spare some.”

 

“We have steak and potatoes, also some both,” said the boy.

 

“Two steaks and potatoes and a large bowl of brother then if you will,” Minho  said and handed over a few coins that he thought would be more than enough.

 

The boy looked at him a little worried, but he just smiled and waited as the boy went back to the kitchens to collect the food. He came back out and handed the food to Minho  who walked back to the table. Taemin seemed distracted when he joined him. He was staring at another corner of the room and Minho  turned to see what he was looking at. There was a man in a coat and hat on the other end of the restaurant eating alone. Minho  tried to get a better look, but the hat was in the way. The man suddenly stood, seeming finished with his meal, and walked by. Minho  reached out and grabbed his arm.

 

“Let go of me,” the man said.

 

“Siwon?” Minho  asked. The man’s eyes widened and he grinned, removing the hat from his head.

 

“Minho!” the man exclaimed and hugged Minho.

 

Taemin looked at them confused. “Minho, who is this?”

 

Minho  turned to his fiancé. “This is my cousin, Siwon. He’s a prince from another kingdom more central of here. What are you doing here, Siwon?”

 

“Ah, I’m on a quest.”

 

“So am I, you can tell your cousin, can’t you?”

 

“Of course, only if you tell me yours and also tell me who the pretty girl is, I didn’t take you one for stealing maidens.”

 

Minhochuckled. “Alright then; this is Lee Taemin, my fiancé. I’m on a quest to retrieve something in order to marry him on the King’s request.”

 

“I’m a boy,” Taemin added in, smiling.

 

“Oh, well that certainly must be hard on you,” Siwon said and patted his cousin’s back, traveling with something you can’t touch.”

 

Minho  just chuckled at that nervously. “And your quest?”

 

“Ah, yes. My quest is to search for a bride, actually.”

 

“Is uncle finally making you get married?”

 

“Yes, however I don’t want a bride that only wants to marry me for my status as a prince, so I’m in disguise.”

 

Minho  nodded somehow understanding. “How about you join us for lunch then?”

 

“No, no thank you. Where are you staying, perhaps I could meet you there to catch up.”

 

“We’re at the inn across the street.”

 

Siwon nodded. “Yes, yes, I’m there, too, which room?”

 

“Seven.”

 

“I’m in nine, I’ll definitely stop by later, I’ll seen you then.”

 

Minho  nodded and watched his cousin walk out.

 

“I’m happy to start meeting your family now, Minho,” Taemin said, half a steak on his fork.

 

Minho  looked down and saw both his steak and most of Taemin’s gone now and chuckled eating the potatoes instead. “Yes, I want my family to meet you, Taemin.”

 

“And I couldn’t wait for him to leave,” Jonghyun said popping out of Minho’s shirt and going over to the bowl of brother, Key following after from Taemin’s shirt, sipping the soup with small spoons that appeared out of no where.

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆`* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆`**

 

 

Minho  sat with Taemin in his lap on the bed in their room. The two fairies were fast asleep on the window sill, giving Minho  time to finally just enjoy having his fiancé in his arms. He really did love this boy. He was adorable and just having him close felt so right. He felt Taemin shift so that they were facing each other and smiled up at Minho, cupping his face. Minho  smiled back down surprised when lips pressed against his. He placed his hands on Taemin’s hips and slowly kissed back, trying to keep it sweet and innocent, but soon found himself moaning when Taemin started moving his hips with Minho’s. He tried to hold the younger prince down, but Taemin only wrapped his hands around Minho’s neck and brought them closer, mouth opening and Minho  couldn’t keep from pushing his tongue between the other’s plush lips. Taemin started to moan and Minho  could feel himself getting uncomfortable when there was a knock on the door.

 

“Taemin, stop, I need to answer the door,” Minho  said, pulling away from the kiss.

 

The younger prince whined and clung to him, pouting.

 

Minho  patted his head. “It’s probably my cousin.”        

 

“Oh, alright,” Taemin said and let Minho  slide out of his grasp.

 

Minho  got up and went to the door, opening it. Sure enough, Siwon stood outside. “Ah, come in, come in.”

 

Siwon entered and sat in a chair close to the bed, the only chair in the room. Taemin sat neatly on the bed, his jacket’s bow undone and Minho  quickly went over to him, fixing it, wondering when either of them had started pulling at it. When he turned to his cousin, the older man’s face was a bit red.

 

“It seems keeping your hands off him isn’t a problem.”

Minho  rubbed the back of his head and sat down on the bed. Taemin immediately clung to his arm. “Well, his kingdom’s a bit different.”

 

Siwon waved him off and leaned back in the chair. “It’s fine. Ah, I wish I could find a bride as well. I’ve been fighting my father on it for a long time, but recently I feel like I should start looking as well.”

 

“Is uncle sick?” Minho  asked.

 

“No, it’s more just loneliness for the both of us. Father never had a wife and he’s getting old so it’s hard for him to have women for his bed now. I was lucky that he chose me out of all his illegitimate children, I was able to make him turn many of his ideas around and make our kingdom good, but it’s still difficult. I want us to be a peaceful truthful nation.”

 

“So, you’re a real prince, right?”

 

Minho  and Siwon both turned to look at Taemin.

 

“Yes I am. I’ve been on many quests to prove it.”

 

Taemin smiled. “Oh, then you should help out this village.”

 

“Ah, that’s right!” Minho  exclaimed understanding where his fiancé was going with this.

 

“What are you two talking about?” Siwon asked.

 

“This village has a curse and it’ll stop when they’re beauty is awoken with a kiss from a true prince. That’s what the girl at the desk told us. She wanted me to do it, but I couldn’t kiss someone now that I have Taemin.”

 

Taemin snuggled up to him, adding the affect that he wouldn’t have let Minho  either way. “Neh, you should try.”

 

“A beauty, you mean like a princess?” Siwon asked curiously.

 

“It’s the mayor’s son,” Minho  explained.

 

Siwon’s face fell. “Oh, a boy.”

Minho  frowned as well. “Will a boy not do? I didn’t know your kingdom wasn’t against that, at least it wasn’t the last time I knew.”

 

Siwon shook his head. “No, it’s not, but both father and I were hoping for a girl.”

 

“They said he was the fairest here,” Taemin piped in.

 

“The fairest, huh?”

 

“Yes, couldn’t you just try?” Taemin asked moving away from Minho  too look at his cousin, eyes bit and lips pouting. Minho  wasn’t sure what he was doing, but it made his chest twist and he felt a bit jealous that such an expression was directed at his cousin and not himself.

 

His cousin seemed just as much taken back by it as he was. “I…I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to have a look. If he really is that fair, I wouldn’t mind a male queen though we’d have to find a witch to live at the castle.”

 

Taemin jumped up and hugged him. The moment he let go of Siwon, Minho  pulled him into his lap and was greeted with his fiancé cuddling him back, happy.

 

“Should we just go ahead and do it tonight?” Minho  asked.

 

“Do you know where this fair boy is?”

 

Minho  shook his head. “We should ask the desk girl.”

 

Siwon nodded and stood. Minho  distracted his cousin while Taemin with to gather their two fairies friends and they headed downstairs. 


	8. Snow White's Kiss

**Chapter 8 – Snow White’s Kiss**

 

 

“You want to know where Snow White is?” the girl at the front desk asked.

 

“Yes please. We’d like to see him,” Minho  said, repeating for about the third time since they’d came downstairs.

 

The girl looked worried. She tapped her foot and kept her arm crossed as the thought. “Why though? You guys said you wouldn’t kiss him.”

 

“Well,” Minho  started and turned to his cousin asking permission. Siwon nodded with a sigh and removed the hat he’d placed on his head when they’d come down.

 

“Well, this here is my cousin,” Minho  said gesturing to Siwon. “He’s a prince as well. He’s looking for a bride and he’s willing to kiss your Snow White to see if he can’t break the spell.”

 

The girl looked Siwon over. “Well, he’s handsome. And if you say he’s a prince then I’ll believe you, but really, as long as our Snow White wakes up, I don’t mind it. I’ll show you, just let me get ready, the snow’s bound to start up soon. It usually goes from night to late morning.”

 

The girl went into a door behind the counter and emerged with a coat on and a pair of keys in hand. “Alright, follow me then, it’s a bit of a trek.”

 

They followed her out of the inn and down the street. She stopped at an alley and turned down it finally stopping in front of the tall fence that protected the village and started feeling around. She pulled out the keys and fitted them into a small hole in the fence and suddenly a sections of the fence fell to the ground, the thump of impact softened by the snow accumulating. The girl went through first followed by Siwon. Minho  pushed Taemin through first then followed.

 

“He’s actually hidden in the woods. The villagers think it’s a bad idea to keep a dead body in the fence area so he’s in the cemetery. Even though I keep telling them he’s not dead. I have actually been pretty worried about what’s going to happen to him recently. The villagers are getting desperate and our mayor can’t keep putting them down. He’s sick and heart broken, he’s not that strong anymore. They don’t believe he’ll come back to life, he’s just a preserved dead body to them. They want to set him on fire.”

 

Taemin gasped and clung to Minho. Minho  held him tight.

 

“What is your name?” Siwon asked.

 

The girl looked at him and smiled. “I’m Boa, that’s what I’m called at least. I was like Snow White’s older sister. Shall we keep going?”

 

Boa led them through the trees and up a hill. Minho  kept Taemin close to him as they walked, helping the boy through the snow covered vegetation and making sure he didn’t trip over his long skirt. He realized they’d need a change of clothes soon.

 

“We’re here,” Boa said and Minho  looked up to see a hill covered in small structures, some of stone, but most just flower wreaths or fruit art placed over a mound of dirt in the ground. In the very middle of the hill on a pedestal was a coffin, a glass coffin and Minho  could see a body inside it.

 

“Is that him?” Minho  asked.

 

Boa nodded. “Yes…this is the first time I’ll actually go up there since he was first placed there. I usually can only go this far.”

 

Siwon placed a hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to go up there if you don’t want to.”

 

Boa shook her head. “No, I have to. I’m the only one that knows how to open it. Plus, I need to be a witness.”

 

Siwon nodded and turned to Minho. “Are you two coming as well?”

 

Minho  looked at Taemin. By the determined look on his fiancé’s face, he already knew the answer. “Yes, we’ll go, too.”

 

Boa once again started leading them, going up the hill. Minho  looked at the graves, a sort of sorrow falling over him. It was odd, but he began to miss is own kingdom. They didn’t bury their dead in his kingdom. His castle was by the sea so they often fished and in return for the food they caught, when someone died, they gave the body back to the see on a raft of fire. He wondered how long it would take before he could go home.

 

 Taemin nuzzled against Minho  and brought him out of his thoughts. They were close to the coffin now and Minho  kept him and Taemin back a bit to give Boa and Siwon space. Boa slowly walked closer to the coffin, keys still out. She pressed a hand to the clear glass and stared down onto the sleeping face of the person inside. From where Minho  stood he could see a good outline of the person inside. Their skin really was white, almost as white as the snow falling around them. Boa dusted some of the snow from the top of the head of the coffin where a gold plate was, an identical one at the foot. She pressed the key into the hole on the plate and it clicked before going to the other. She turned to Siwon.

 

“Please help me lift this,” she said.

 

Siwon went over and helped grab the heavy glass. Minho  let Taemin go to help as well when it seemed still to heave. Carefully, they placed the delicate glass covering on the ground and Minho  took in the sight of the person inside. Minho  felt he would have never been able to kiss the person inside as Taemin was more beautiful to him than anyone else, but the one called ‘Snow White’ truly lived up to their name. Their skin was white and there was just something about them that was enticing. He looked up and to see his cousin staring down at the body, an awed look on his face. Siwon just stared and stared at the beautiful boy in the coffin. Minho  smiled and moved over to his cousin, patting his back.

 

Siwon looked over at Minho, a sort of trance still covering him. “He’s beautiful.”

 

Minho  nodded. “Will you kiss him?”

 

Siwon looked back down at the boy and nodded. “There’s just something about him…he really is fair.”

 

“Please, wake him up,” Boa said from the other side of the coffin.

 

Siwon nodded and leaned down. Minho  packed up as he watched his cousin’s lips descend on the sleeping body’s. He felt Taemin’s arms wrap around one of his and stopped. Finally, their lips touched and they stayed like that for a few seconds before Siwon lifted away. Minho stared waiting for something to happen and then he heard a cry.

 

“I knew it…I knew it, you couldn’t possibly be a real prince,” Boa said, hands covering her face. “Princes don’t come here, they don’t randomly kiss half dead men. Kibum’s really going to die.”

 

“Kibum?” Siwon asked.

 

Boa nodded and looked at him, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Yes, Kibum’s his real name. Please, please just leave.”

 

Siwon glared at her. “No, I will not just leave.” He looked back down at the half dead boy and reached a hand out, stroking his cheek. “He’s so cold.”

 

“Siwon?” Minho  asked confused.

 

“I’ll make him my bride. He’s not dead, he’ll wake up. Kibum, wake up,” Siwon said and leaned down again. He pressed his lips to the boy’s again, a little harder and a little more persistently. After a few seconds of not pulling away, Minhowas about to go and pull him away when Taemin suddenly held his hand out and pointed.

 

“He’s…he’s moving.”

 

Minho  looked to where Taemin was pointing and saw Kibum’s hand twitching. “Boa, he’s moving.”

 

The girl looked and sobbed more. Siwon pulled away and a soft groan left the fair boy’s mouth and his eyes fluttered. Siwon immediately pulled his jacket off and covered Kibum with it, picking him up in his arms. “We need to warm him up, quickly.”

 

“Yes, yes,” Boa said and started down the hill. “We’ll go back to the inn, I have hot water all ready set out for something else, he can bath, come.”

 

They quickly made their way back to the inn, Boa looking around carefully for any villagers that might ask too many questions. The fair boy made more small noises the more time passed. When they’d finally settled him in a bath, his eyes were opened and he was flushed pink, embarrassed at having so many people staring at him.

 

“Where…where am I?”

 

Boa kneeled down beside him and patted Kibum’s arm. “You’re in the inn. You’ve been cursed for so long, Kibum.”

 

The fair boy blinked and looked at Boa. “Boa? Ah, I remember that…hmm, I’m hungry.”

 

“Yes, yes, of course you are, I’ll go get food, we’ll let you soak and get warmed up.” Boa stood and ushered them out, but Siwon shook his head.

 

“I want to stay and get to know him.”

Boa nodded and Minho  and Taemin followed her out instead.

 

“I can’t believe he’s alright,” she said going around the kitchen and looking for food. “Your cousin really is a prince. I don’t know why the first kiss didn’t work.”

 

Suddenly, Key flew out of Taemin shirt. “It’s because he didn’t mean it the first time.”

 

Boa jumped seeing the little fairy. “Who are you?”

 

Jonghyun tried to escape, too, but Minho  pushed him back in, not wanting him to attack Boa or Kibum.

 

“I’m also named Kibum, but you can call me Key. I’m a fairy witch. Curses aren’t broken just by any kiss. He needed a prince that was in love with him. Obviously Siwon wasn’t in love with him until after he kissed him the first time and you started crying, so he had to kiss him again.”

 

“I’ve never met a fairy before, but that makes sense. But, I wonder what we should do now,” Boa said.

 

“What do you mean?” Minho  asked, passing her a bowl as she stirred a soup on the stove in her small personal kitchen.

 

“I mean, the people won’t want Kibum taken away after he’s woken up, they’ll want him to take over after the mayor dies, and that’s only if they decide to except that our Snow White’s back.”

 

Minho  nodded understanding. That was a predicament.

 

“Why don’t we talk to Siwon and Kibum about it,” Taemin offered and took the bowl from Boa once it was filled and headed back.

 

Inside the room they’d left the other two, they came upon the sight of the two talking, a smile on the fair boy’s face. Taemin walked up to them and handed Kibum the soup, Key hidden in Minho’s shirt now.

 

“Thank you,” Kibum said and tried to eat, but dropped the spoon back into the soup.

 

“Here, I’ll help you, you’re still weak,” Siwon said and took the bowl feeding the other who seemed embarrassed about it.

 

“Kibum, I need to talk to you. Do you know who woke you up?” Boa asked.

 

“Yes, Prince Siwon here did. He said he kissed me and that I’m to be his bride.”

“Is that alright with you?”

 

Kibum looked at Siwon and nodded. “Yes, I never really wanted to be the mayor in the first place and everyone here probably thinks I’m dead or that I’m not real anymore. They’re not that accepting of magic, you know that.”

 

“Yes, I know, but what will happen with the village?”

 

“I’ll take responsibility,” Siwon said. “I’ll make sure you all thrive for years to come.”

 

“Thank you, thank you Prince Siwon,” Boa said. “Will you travel with Kibum tomorrow, that’s as long as you wanted your room for.”

 

Siwon shook his head. “No, he’s still weak. I’ll stay longer until he can travel.”

 

“Boa,” Kibum said, “please keep this a secret, I don’t want the villagers to know for a while, please.”

 

Boa nodded and turned to Minho  and Taemin. “And what of you two? Will you stay and travel back with your cousin?”

 

Minho  shook his head. “No, we will leave tomorrow and continue our journey. We’re on a search for a glass slipper, have you heard of it?”

 

Boa thought for a moment. “Glass slipper? I think I have, actually. It was many years ago and I was young still, but there was definitely a man with a glass slipper on his belt that came to the inn when it was still run by my grandmother. That’s all I know though. I haven’t heard of it since.”

 

Minho  thanked her and turned to his cousin. “Taemin and I shall retire to our room. We’ll tell you our goodbyes in the morning.”

 

Siwon nodded and Taemin grabbed Minho’s hand, leading them back to the room, the fairies flying out, and talked quietly as Minho  and Taemin fell asleep almost instantly upon laying down.

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆`* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆`**

 

 

In the morning, they said their goodbyes to Siwon and Kibum and headed out. The Snow White Prince was up, walking with Siwon’s help around the room Boa kept him in and Minho  was glad to see that. Boa told them of a bigger village over a days ride from there that they could stop at and get better clothes and another horse from. As soon as they ere far enough away from the village, Key and Jonghyun fluttered out and flew with them for a while.

 

“Well, that was an adventure,” Key said. “We’ve met two princes so far and helped them. I thought you were looking for some sort of shoe, not on a hunt to help royalty find love.”

 

Minho  frowned. “It just sort of happened like that, Key. There’s nothing wrong with helping others, is there? I’ve found my true love, it’s only right I give back.” Minho  smiled down at Taemin, but the boy didn’t look up. He was frowning and just staring straight ahead. He had been like that since they woke up, quiet and not as clingy as he usually was. It confused Minhoand he felt like something was wrong, but he didn’t understand it.

 

“Taemin, is something wrong, you don’t seem yourself?” Minho  asked.

 

The younger prince shifted a bit and turned his head to the side. “We’ve only known each other for a week or so, how would you know what I’m normally like?”

 

Minho  blinked, not understanding why his fiancé was acting like this. “Taemin, have I made you mad?”

 

“Not really.”

 

Not really wasn’t a now, but Minho  felt his stomach drop. He slowed the horse down. “Taemin, please tell me, I don’t want you to be angry. Let me fix it.”

 

Taemin shook his head. “You can’t fix it now.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Even if I asked, you couldn’t fix it right now, you can fix it when we get to the next village, until then, let me broad.”

 

Minho  sighed and patted Taemin’s head. “At least give me a kiss so I know you’re okay with me, Taemin.”

 

Taemin leaned his head back and puckered his lips. Minho  leaned down and kissed them, smiling. Taemin smiled back a little, but it still wasn’t as bright as it usually was.

 

They continued on the trek, finding a road that Boa had told them would lead to the next village. The fairies got tired and came to rest on Taemin’s lap after the younger prince had fallen asleep. Minho  hummed a bit as they rode, occasionally answering to questions the fairies asked him. Suddenly, the black stallion began to slow and Minho  looked around. Something felt different. He looked ahead of them and saw a mule cart traveling, coming toward them. A man not too much older than Minho  sat with the reigns, a hat on his head. The fairies went to hide as he slowed when he came upon Minho  and tipped his hat.

 

“Good morning. You seem to be carrying quite a heavy load there, do you have a long ways to go still, stranger? I’m a bit concerned that horse will get tired soon carrying the both of you.”

 

Minho  nodded to the man. “Yes, we’re planning to purchase another one soon to share the load. It was a bit of an unexpected trip.”

 

“Ah, yes, yes, understood. Hmm, you’re quite good looking and seem strong. And that horse is pretty sturdy. You must be royalty.”

 

Minho  chuckled. “Well, it’s not that uncommon. If you’ll excuse us, we’re in a hurry.”

 

“Oh, wait, is that beauty asleep?”

 

Minho  looked down at the still sleeping Taemin. “Yes.”

 

“I sure hope it’s just because she’s tired from your journey, though I’m not sure why you’d bring a girl along, unless she’s not here of her own free will.”

 

“Ah, no, it’s not—”  

 

“Because you know the one thing that really disgusts us is when a pretty girl is taken advantage of just because the guy is royalty.”

 

“I assure you, it’s nothing like that,” Minho  said starting to become angry with this nosy traveler and what did he mean by us?

 

“Well, how about we just check then?”

 

Before Minho  could do anything, a group of men suddenly jumped down from the trees around them and surrounded him. Minho  barely had time to pull out his sword before a man stood in front of him with a bow and arrow pointed at his neck. The man grinned and a dimple showed on one of his cheeks. He took a quick look at the man in the cart and nodded.

 

“Good work, Kangin, now check his bags.”

 

“Now wait a minute, are you guys thieves? You can’t seriously be trying to steal something from a prince.”

 

“Oh, a prince? You might be good looking, but I know of no prince that goes off without an entourage, but has a maiden in hand.”

 

“It’s not like that…Hey! Don’t go snooping in my bags,” Minho  said and swung his sword only to get a warming arrow flying by his head.

 

“Oh, look, coins from Aurora.”

 

The dimple man held up his hand for the bag and looked at them then glared at Minho. “You stole from Aurora? I will kill you, thief. Maybe you’re a rapist, too.”

 

“I’m not—”

 

“Minho, what’s going on, why is there yelling?” Taemin asked, sitting up and rubbing his eyes, looking around.

 

“Taemin, be careful, I think we’re getting robbed.”

 

“Robbed?”

 

The younger prince blinked and looked around more.

 

“Taemin…Lee Taemin?” the dimple man asked.

 

Taemin turned to him and smiled brightly. “Oh, hello father.”


	9. Prince of Thieves

**Chapter 9 – Prince of Thieves**

 

 

Minho  was still confused as what he thought had been a group of thieves became their escorts instead, leading them the rest of the way to town, getting there earlier than Boa had said, just as the sun had set. Taemin and the dimple man had hugged and babbled about things Minho  wasn’t sure of. He was struck dumb and just followed any order Taemin gave him. If his true love said it was alright, then he decided to trust him and understand things later. It wasn’t until they’d stopped at a tavern in the village that Minho  finally snapped out of it and decided to ask questions.

 

The dimple man, Taemin’s apparent father, sat in front of them at one of the tables. The man that had been in the cart brought over drinks and sat down next to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and smiling at them.

 

“It’s nice to finally meet Teukie’s son. I’ve heard so many stories about you, you’re the younger one right?” the cart man asked.

 

Taemin nodded eagerly and took one of the drinks. “Yes, yes, that’s me, and who are you?”

 

“Yes, who are you, all of you?” Minho  asked. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t really understand. Taemin, will you explain?”

 

“Oh, yes, Minho, this man is my father,” Taemin said holding a hand out toward the dimple man.

 

“Your father? Isn’t your father…well, a king?”

 

Taemin gave him a thoughtful look before nodding. “Yes, yes he was, hmm.” He looked at his father and smiled. “Father, how about you explain, I don’t really know either.”

 

The dimple man nodded and leaned into the cart man. “I suppose I owe it to my son to explain everything. I haven’t been able to visit for a past few years anyways, I’m very sorry about that.”

 

“It’s okay, I understand,” Taemin said, “you’ve been busy.”

 

“Still, it’s bad of me not to visit my own flesh and blood.”

 

“I don’t understand,” Minho  piped in, reminding them.

 

“Well, first off, I was originally Price Leeteuk, the heir of Aurora. I actually really hated being a prince. Aurora is quite peaceful and there wasn’t really much for me to do but continue that peace. I wanted to do something, to make the world better, not be waited on hand and foot. I wanted to experience the poverty and hard life that my kingdom’s people use to experience and a few of them still did. I was like that since I was very young, but I had no siblings. So, to fix that, I got married and had kids. Heechul was a good friend of mine, still is. We decided to have kids together. We had two handsome sons and when I was sure they were both healthy, I left.”

 

Minho’s eyes widened. Taemin’s father had just up and left his kingdom and his children? Minho  couldn’t comprehend something like that, it seemed so unnatural to him and he couldn’t help the heated glare he sent the Taemin’s father.

 

Leeteuk just smiled a bit sadly seeing Minho’s face. “Ah, I see you think badly of me. I wouldn’t have left if I thought anything would go wrong. The kingdom is in very capable hands, Heechul makes a very good peace time king and by the looks of Taemin, he’s raised very beautiful children. Still, I do regret leaving some times. I love my sons after all and Heechul.”

 

“Then why don’t you go back?” Minho  asked.

 

Leeteuk chuckled. “It’s not that easy. You see, I’ve made another name for myself. Ever heard of Robin Hood?”

 

Minho shook his head. “No, there is not much on this side of the land I know of, I am from the East.”

 

“Ah, yes the east, I understand. I shall explain then. There is a legendary man called Robin Hood. Since very young, this man has done great things for the smaller villages owned by cruel kingdoms and rich lords. To us, he might just seem like a pest, but to people in villages like this one, he’s a saint.”

 

“How so?” Minho  asked. “If he’s a saint, then I see no reason for higher class citizens to find him annoying.”

 

“That’s because you’re from a peaceful kingdom. Only someone from a peaceful kingdom would think like that. You see, why Robin Hood is a saint is because he returns the rewards to the ones who labored for them. Many villages outside the main city of a kingdom are treated cruelly. They have to make grains and other food for the ones inside as well as the royals and aristocrats. Almost all of their food is taken as well as money for taxes for living in the kingdom, and they aren’t small taxes like you probably charge your citizens. So, one day, a young man started to take the money back. He became a thief of the rich. He would come out of the trees with a bow and arrow in hand and swoop down on the collectors as they rode by and the occasional royal traveling sparse. They take most, but not all of the valuables and run into the woods again, accompanied only by one other man. When he had enough money and time passed, he would begin to disperse the money to any needy citizen he passed by. Sometimes even buying horses and other equipment and delivering that instead. And when the tax collectors came for their dues again, the villagers eventually were able to continuously pay the exact same money they had the last time, eventually saving up enough to live better.”

 

Minho  nodded thinking this a risky but brave thing for two men to do. But he still didn’t understand why this had kept Leeteuk from visiting Taemin and becoming king again. “I don’t understand what this has to do with you, though, sir.”

 

Leeteuk turned to the cart man and smiled at him before looking at Minho  again. “Well, you see I was able to meet this Robin Hood quite early after leaving my throne. I still walked around as if I was a prince, and I suppose I had began to be irritated not use to a life without pampering yet. I was at a lady’s home resting. I hadn’t gotten mad with her and I don’t quite remember why anymore, but it was something silly. Robin Hood had been passing by at the time and thought I was harassing her, so he captured me. He could tell I was rich but he really didn’t know what to do with a prince from a peaceful kingdom and so I ended up just traveling with him for a while. He was surprised to find I was older than both he and his companion and so began to show me how he did things and I studied. I had always been good with a bow, so Robin Hood became a pair and this man here.” Leeteuk patted the cart man’s leg. “Kangin here was the original Robin Hood’s right hand man. He and I spent many nights together talking and well…eventually talking wasn’t the only things we did, I’m sure you both are old enough to understand what I mean. We fell in love and I suppose Robin Hood knew that. He did always seem as if something was bothering him and he seemed to like the new ideas I always gave him. One day a few years ago, he handed me his cloak.” Leeteuk spread the cloak he wore out to reveal the red underside. “They called him Robin Hood because of his cloak. It’s an expensive magic protected fabric, he told me he stole it, the first thing he had ever stolen when he was quite young. He lived his life as a thief since young and he said to me the very last night we ever saw him ‘I believe someone who knows what peace is and wants to do good can do this for much longer than someone as troubled as me, so please become Robin Hood’. So, now I’m Robin Hood so I can’t often go home being on the run like this.”

 

“So, you’re a thief now, and you’re having an affair with another man?” Minho  asked.

 

Leeteuk frowned. “If you put it like that, it sounds as if I’ve fallen into a horrible life from my station as king to be, but honestly I’m very happy like this.” Leeteuk leaned up and kissed Kangin’s cheek. “I found the love of my life and I’m doing something good for people who can’t do it themselves.”

 

“I think it’s wonderful.”

 

“Taemin,” Minho  began only to be cut off by the glare his fiancé gave him reminding him not to test the younger prince as he had seemed upset with him all day.

 

“Not everyone does what is expected of them. We have to make our own happiness. Besides, I wouldn’t be here right now if I didn’t have my father’s runaway blood, now would I?’

 

Minho  looked away and fiddled with his own drink. “You were supposed to stay.”

 

He could feel Taemin glaring at him again. “Did you want me to stay and let you travel months on your own without being able to hold me at night, or were you planning to hold someone else?”

 

Minho  immediately pulled Taemin into his arms. “No, no, I’m glad you followed me Taemin. I would have been very sad and lonely without you, forgive me.”

 

Taemin pulled away and sipped his drink more. “I’ll forgive you later.”

 

Minho  could feel Taemin’s father looking at them oddly. “So, I still don’t quite understand what you two are doing here.”

 

“Ah, well you see, sir, I’ve been living as a frog for the past six months.”

 

“A frog? Were you cursed?” Leeteuk asked.

 

“Yes. I took a curse for my father from a jealous witch and was on a quest to find my true love to break it.”

 

“Ah, your true love, how romantic! Did you find him?” Leeteuk asked and took a sip of his own drink.

 

“Yes sir, your son sir.”

 

“Ah, yes I see, my son……my son!” Leeteuk stood up quickly, hands slapping on the table and his drink spilled. “You mean my son broke your curse? A curse that infected your whole body…that means you touched him, you filthy man, I should have your hands for that.”

 

Kangin beside him suddenly pulled out a sword and aimed it at Minho’s throat.

 

“H-hey, no, I mean yes, but I plan to marry him. Taemin’s my fiancé.”

 

“He told me he ran away to chase after his true love, he didn’t tell me it was you. Why did he have to chase after you?”

 

Minho  stared at the sword still placed too close to his throat and swallowed. “Well, you see his mother…”

 

“Heechul?” Leeteuk asked and sighed. “What did Heechul do?”

 

“Well, I asked for Taemin’s hand, but in order for us to marry I have to complete a quest. Taemin tagged along which I’m happy to have him with me of course.”

 

Leeteuk pushed Kangin’s sword away and sat back down, stealing his lover’s drink and leaning against the larger man again. “Heechul’s really something. He’s always been super over protective of Taemin here. Onew was more of my boy, but all the same. What’s the quest, perhaps I know of something that could help you.”

 

“It’s Mother’s glass slipper,” Taemin explained.

 

“You mean the other one?”

 

Taemin nodded and Minho  watched as understanding passed by Leeteuk’s face.

 

“Ah, he’s getting lonely. I really have been gone too long.”

 

“Do you know where it is?” Minho  asked.

 

“No, but I know where it was.”

 

“Can you tell us?”

 

Leeteuk too a long swig of his drink, savoring it as he seemed lost in thought at the question. “Well, it is about time anyways, I suppose. The old Robin Hood use to carry one around on his belt. It was definitely Heechul’s other slipper.”

 

“Where did he get Mother’s slipper?” Taemin asked.

 

Leeteuk shrugged. “Not sure, wouldn’t tell me when I asked. Didn’t tell him I knew who’s it was either. He might have just stole it or found it. Glass slippers aren’t something you see everyday.”

 

“Do you know where this Robin Hood is?” Minho  asked.

 

Leeteuk shook his head. “He travels around a lot, I don’t really know what he does anymore. I think you should just ask around for thieves, but do that tomorrow. Tonight, let’s celebrate my son’s engagement.” Leeteuk stood up and waved at the bartender. “Keep the drinks coming until the dawn, my good sir.”

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

  

 

It wasn’t until Minho’s third drink that he realized it was alcohol. He was too nervous with all the men running around the tavern that Leeteuk called his merry men, help he had picked up on his trips in order to spread the good will. A few of them would come up to Taemin and talk to him, some even going so far as to dare to touch his fiancé. He wrapped an arm around the younger prince and held him close, growling at anyone that came close to Taemin. That’s when he realized he was drunk.

 

Leeteuk and Kangin had disappeared under the table some time ago. Minho  had wondered where they’d gone and peeked under the table only to witness something he hoped he would forget in the morning of his to be father-in-law’s and his lover’s bodies entwined. Another round of drinks was served and Minho  took a mug, figuring another wouldn’t do anything more than the three before did. He drowned it quickly and looked around the tavern.

 

The bartender was laughing with one of the merry men. There were more merry men in a corner with a group of girls dressed in short skirts and loose shirts, hoping from one man’s lap to another. He grimaced seeing one woman and man over in a corner doing much the same as his father-in-law and Kangin under the table. He saw things flittering around the room and realized the two fairies had come out of hiding at some point. The witch fairy landed on an abandoned beer mug and Minho laughed as Key tipped inside and splashed into the drink, coming back out drenched and hiccupping. He fluttered about, but kept falling with his drenched wings and the other fairy had to come and help him walk about the table. Minho  laughed again when they were both covered by a flying piece of clothing. Then he noticed it was yellow and stopped.

 

Minho  turned to his side and realized he was no longer holding Taemin. He looked about for his fiancé, calling out the younger prince’s mate until he heard a familiar laugh and looked up on the table. Taemin was dancing about, his yellow jacket off revealing his shoulders and arms and Minho  could see the faint hint of a nipple as the bindings at the top of his long skirt began to slide down. He immediately sobered up and grabbed the yellow jacket, standing.

 

“Taemin!”

 

The boy didn’t hear him and continued to dance around, getting the attention of some of the merry men. They started wolf whistling and calling out to the younger prince and Minho  growled. He stood up on his seat and reached out for his fiancé, but the boy just danced away.

 

“Taemin!”

 

Taemin finally turned and looked at Minho. He smiled brightly, face flushed and opened his arms wide. “Minho~~~ my true love~~~”

 

“Taemin, come here.”

 

Taemin giggled. “Are you going to touch me hyung? If I come to you, will you finally touch me?”

 

Minho  looked at Taemin confused. He still wasn’t totally sober, he just had enough sense to know they needed to quit the partying and get a room to rest for the night. “I don’t know Taemin, just come here and we’ll go get a room.”

 

“Yay, a room! We can do lots in private, Minho~~~”

 

“Yeah, yeah, let’s get a room and go to bed quickly.”

 

Taemin frowned. “It’s hot, I’ll come, but it’s hot.” Minho  laughed when he saw Taemin start to lift his skirt, gathering the red material and showing his legs until there were more whistles and someone actually tried to reach out to him. Minho  slapped their hand away and got on the table, scooping his fiancé up in his arms.

 

“No, we’re going Taemin. You can take your clothes off in the room.”

 

“You can take my clothes off in the room~~~” Taemin said and grabbed his face, placing a sloppy kiss there before cuddling into the crook of Minho’s neck.

 

Minho  felt the fairies grab onto his pant leg and started to stagger out of the tavern, looking up and down the street for the closest inn. He saw one a few doors down and made his way inside. A chubby man stood at the desk with a half eaten bowl of snacks beside him, dozing.

 

Minho  cleared his throat to get his attention.

 

“Oh, a customer, ah just from the tavern it’d seem. How many rooms?”

 

It took Minho a few tries before he could form words. “One…for both of us…one bed.”

 

The man nodded and grabbed a key, leading them both down a hall to the very last door. “This is a honeymoon suite. You guys look rich enough, I’m sure you can afford when you wake up in the morning. Have fun.”

 

Minho  nodded and stumbled in. He put Taemin down on the floor, making sure the younger boy was steady before going about the room in search of water.

 

“So hot~~~ the room’s hot, I’m going in the hall,” Taemin said and started out of the room.

 

Minho  was about to say okay when he saw Taemin out of the corner of his eye. He stumbled over to him and grabbed his arm. “T-Taemin, why are you naked.””

 

Taemin whined. “Because it’s hot~~~; let me walk around in the cool.”

 

“People…people will see you out there. You’re naked.”

 

“I don’t care~~~.”

 

“I care,” Minho  said and suddenly lifted his fiancé in his arms again. “You can’t just go…go around all naked…in front of other people. Go to bed.” He flopped the younger prince onto the bed and started removing his own clothes.

 

Taemin whined and thrashed around the bed. “No~~ only if you touch me, Minho. I need to…be…touched.”

 

When Minho  looked at his fiancé, naked himself, he laughed. The younger boy had fallen asleep.


	10. A Frog's Fiance'

**Chapter 10 – A Frog’s Fiancé**

 

It was still weird to Minho  to wake up with someone in his arms, particularly a naked boy. Minho  blinked a couple of times and smiled seeing his true love’s sleeping face on his arm, cheeks still tinted red from last night’s drinking. Minho  wondered what possessed Leeteuk to allow his son to drink at such a young age, but figured it was a Northern kingdom thing. Taemin suddenly let a soft noise escape his lips and turned away from Minho, freeing the elder prince’s arm. Minho  took this chance and sat up to stretch. He lifted his arms over his head and let out a groan; his mind felt fuzzy, but otherwise rejuvenated. This wasn’t his first time waking up after a night of merry drinking, but he didn’t know about Taemin and therefore decided to leave his fiancé to sleep more while he went about double stocking their provisions now that they had more travelers.

 

Minho  quickly went about the room and gathered his clothes, fixing himself for the night of shopping. He paused at the door seeing one of the fairies seated on the border that outlined the doorway, looking down at him.

 

“Going out?”

 

Minho  nodded. “Yes, I didn’t realize you were awake, Jonghyun.”

 

The beast fairy shrugged his shoulders and jumped down, landing on Minho’s shoulder. “Fairies usually wake early. However, Key over there won’t be awake for hours. He usually sleeps through the hangover, so take me with you.”

 

“You want to go shopping?” Minho  asked.

 

“Sure, if that’s what you’re off to do. I need someone to make sure I don’t go attacking beautiful people.”

 

“Then should you not just stay here?”

 

The fairy glanced over at Taemin’s sleeping form. “And risk me possibly attacking your fiancé if Key starts sleep cursing. He does that sometimes.”

 

Minho  looked over at his sleeping fiancé and didn’t have to think twice before agreeing. He wasn’t about to chance his true love getting attacked again; plus, he didn’t mind having some alone time with the other cursed prince.

 

Jonghyun nestled himself into Minho’s hair and they walked out of the room and the inn with a quick word to the innkeeper in case Taemin woke up before they returned. Minho  headed down the street, looking about the stores. It was late in the morning and people were bustling about already. Minho  followed the main crowd of people until he reached the busiest street with vendors and their wares sticking out far onto the street.

 

“Too many people,” the beast fairy grumbled and slid beneath Minho’s shirt collar. Minho  sighed and planted a smile onto his face and he walked through the throng of people. He looked into the stalls, politely turning down yells of offers directed at him until he came to one stall selling the area’s clothing. He looked at the clothe, reaching up to feel the different fabrics.

 

A worker appeared behind one of the many outfits and smiled at him. “Do you find something to your interest, young sir.”

 

Minho  looked at the outfits and thought of what to get for him and Taemin to wear. He considered a few and decided on one for himself, but the outfits didn’t seem to fit Taemin. “I would like to try this blue riding outfit on.”

 

The worker nodded and pulled the outfit down in a size fit for Minho  before leading him to a changing room. Jonghyun fluttered around Minho’s head as he dressed. The beast fairy nodded in approval once the hide breeches and vest and crisp clean beige shirt. Minho  agreed as well and walked out in his old clothes.

 

“I shall take this, but as well I am in need of an outfit for my companion. Something for someone tall but thin with a small frame and pretty face. Do you have something to match one of that?”

 

The worker seemed a bit confused. “It seems your companion is a woman then? We have women riding gear in the stall next to this one.”

 

Minho  nodded and paid for his outfit before he headed away to the other stall and looked through. Suddenly, a hand clamped onto Minho’s shoulder and he turned to see Taemin’s father.

 

“Ah, Leeteuk, sir, you’re still here.”

 

Leeteuk smiled and came to stand next to Minho, Kangin accompanying him. “It’s good to see you up and walking about. Do tell me where my son is, is he about?”

 

Minho  shook his head. “No, I left him to rest longer as he was still asleep when I awoke.”

 

“Yes, I understand I understand. And what are you doing walking about? Enjoying your rest?”

 

“I’m simply restocking and getting new clothes for the both of us. It’s been a week and we’ve been through a bit up until now.”

 

“I see you’ve gotten your own clothes, do you plan to get a set for my son?”

 

“I did, but it’s harder to shop for him than I thought. Nothing seems to suit  him, though I know I could just get anything that fit him.”

 

Leeteuk nodded. “Yes, yes, I understand. It’s understandable with Aurora’s customs of dressing beauty in beauty. I think a girl’s riding outfit would suite Taemin better.”

 

“Yes, that’s what the worker said as well when I described him,” Minho said and started to look through the outfits of the next stalls.”

 

“Here, how about this one?” Leeteuk offered. He picked up another riding outfit similar to Minho’s of a dark gray with a short skirt and thinner breeches than the ones Minho  had purchased.  

 

“Ah, yes, that’s what I was looking for,” Minho  said and purchased the outfit.

 

“You do love my son, correct?” Leeteuk asked, continuing to follow Minho  as they walked through the market.

 

“Of course I do. I love Taemin.”

 

“You’ve only known one another for a week, is it truly love?” Leeteuk continued.

 

Minho  turned to face his father-in-law. “Yes, I love your son with all my heart. Even if this quest is to find the glass slipper, if it means Taemin will be hurt, I’ll leave the quest. Besides, without Taemin there is no point in this search. I want to make him completely mine and that is all.

 

Leeteuk smiled and patted Minho’s chest. “If that’s the case then I’ll leave my youngest son in your hands. Please do watch out for him, he’s not as weak as he seems, but he’s innocent and doesn’t understand things outside his own world.”

 

Minho  nodded. “Thank you, I shall cherish him.”

 

“I’ll advise you to pack many sweets. Also, tell my son I shall see him after the wedding. My crew and I will be leaving shortly, I’m afraid I won’t be able to see him again for a while, so send him my regards.”

 

“Of course; see you soon, sir,” Minho  said and bowed, keeping his head low until the two men had disappeared.

 

Jonghyun poked his head out from Minho’s collar and patted his neck in a sort of comforting way. “Parents can be really something. I’m glad I didn’t have to deal with that.”

 

Minho  glared at the fairy. “Because Key didn’t have parents or because no one knew about you and him?”

 

The beast fairy grimaced. “It’s not totally like key said, you know. I haven’t really explained it to him because I got mad that he’d be so rash as to curse me. After the first few months I should have told him, but it’s just been so long, I don’t think he’d believe me anymore.”

 

“What are you talking about?” Minho  asked.

 

“I still love Kibum of course. I loved him even when I agreed to be engaged to the princess. I had planned on telling him about it, why I was engaged to her, but we were busy at that time and then that night happened,” Jonghyun explained.

 

“Why did you agree to be engaged to her?”

 

The beast fairy frowned. “I was trying to protect Kibum. It wasn’t a serious engagement.”

 

“You should tell him about it then,” Minho  said.

 

The best fairy ducked himself back into Minho’s shirt. “Maybe another time.”  
  


Minho  frowned and finished gathering supplies. His last stop was at the edge of town where he had been instructed a horse seller was. He went up to the man and explained his need for another horse.

 

“If it’s just a horse for carrying things or driving a cart, I have many of those, but a horse to ride, the rider needs to see it. Your companion should choose,” the horse seller said.

 

“Could I see them. I’m sure I can choose one that’ll fit him,” Minho  said and the horse seller reluctantly agreed.

 

He led Minho  to the back were horses grazed in a small fenced in area, gathered for him to see. Minho  looked at them, studying how they moved and eventually his eyes fell on a pure white horse in the corner of the stall, a young stallion that moved calmly with good muscles.

 

“The white horse, how does he do with maidens?” Minho  asked. Though Taemin wasn’t a maiden, he was sure the way the pretty prince was raised was close to that of a maiden from his own country.

 

“Ah, he does the best with them,” the horse seller asked. “Is your companion a woman?”

 

“No, but their demeanor is close. I shall take him.”

 

“Alright then, I’ll get you set up,” the horse seller said and gathered a few men to get the horse ready for sale.

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

 

With the white horse’s reins in hand, Minho  headed back to the inn. He tied the white horse next to the black stallion Heechul had given him and went inside.  He bought a meal from the innkeeper before he headed to his room. Minho  was surprised when Key suddenly flew by his head calling the other fairy.

 

“Where are you two going?” he questioned.

 

The witch fairy turned to him with a wary look. “We’re going to get our own provisions. Have fun.”

 

“Fun?” Minho  asked but the two were already gone and he entered the room. He was surprised to fine Taemin spread on the large bed, a sheet only covering his bottom half, his chest bared. His hair looked a little wet and Minho  approached him carefully seeing his fiancé’s eyes closed. He guessed the younger prince had fallen asleep after a shower. He turned to go about packing when he heard a soft noise from Taemin and looked back at his fiancé.

 

“Minho,” Taemin said softly, eyes fluttering opened and he smiled seeing Minho  standing by the bed. “You’re back, where did you go?”

 

Minho  smiled back and sat down on the edge of the bed. “I went to get provisions. Did you miss me, I tried not to be gone long.”

 

Taemin sat up a bit and moved closer to Minho, holding his arm tight, nuzzling it. Minho  chuckled and patted his fiancé’s hair, his eyes unconsciously traveling down Taemin’s naked shoulder and waist line to his hip that was revealed by the shift of the sheet. He swallowed and moved away.

 

“Taemin, aren’t you uncomfortable like that? I brought another set of clothes to wear so we can wash the other ones.”

 

The younger prince pouted at him and shook his head. “No, why would I be uncomfortable?”

 

“Did you normally go around naked in your kingdom?”

 

“Only in my room,” Taemin said then he giggled. “When I was really little I use to and then my mother and brother would have to chase me and put me in my clothes if that’s what you mean.”

 

“No, I meant you’re comfortable being naked in front of others?”

 

“It’s just you,” Taemin said and rolled the sheet the rest of the way off his naked body. He sat against the headboard and stared at Minho, long creamy legs, teasingly opening and closing where he had pulled them up to his chest.

 

Minho  could feel heat pulsing through his body and looked down. “Taemin, we’re not married yet, shouldn’t you be more decent around me?”

 

“I don’t care,” came the younger prince’s stubborn reply and Minho  looked back up regretting the instant he did. “I really really don’t care.”

 

As Taemin talked, he spread his legs so that he was fully on display to Minho. “Taemin, you’re tempting me.”

 

“I know,” Taemin said and a smirk tugged on those otherwise innocent lips catching Minho  buy surprise.

 

Taemin’s hands moved and he covered himself with them looking at Minho  with a slight blush as he continued to talk. “You know, before you came along I released at least once a day, sometimes more, but since I’ve been with you, well, it’s been more than three days since you last touched me. You wanted to know why I was angry with you, it’s because you haven’t touched me.”

 

“Taemin, I shouldn’t touch you more than I already have, we’re not married.”

 

“Are you going to make me do it myself?” Taemin asked, eyes wide. “You’re going to make me do it myself even though you’re right there and I already prepared myself for you. You’re going to embarrass me?”

 

Minho  immediately shook his head. “No, no, of course not.”

 

Tears began to glisten from the corners of Taemin’s eyes and he looked down. “Then will you not touch me? Do I not please you any longer?”

 

Minho  sighed. All he wanted was to do right by his fiancé, but the younger boy was more than willing to do away with traditions and continuously spend night after night in Minho’s embrace. What was he supposed to say to that. He loved Taemin, would he have to continue to show him that until their wedding day? He still show him even after.

 

Minho  licked his lips and began to pull off his clothes. A smile spread across the younger prince’s face and he uncovered himself, instead using his hands to beckon Minho  to him. Once naked, Minho  climbed onto the bed and approached his fiancé. He settled himself over the younger boy and stared down at his happy glowing face.

 

“Kiss,” Taemin commanded and Minho  only smiled before he complied, melding his lips over the other’s. His tongue slid across Taemin’s bottom lip and encouraged it open. He slipped it in and was immediately met with Taemin’s own tongue. They slid together and Minho  moved one of his hands to ram his fiancé’s side, caressing the smooth skin there before sliding down his leg and holding onto one of his thighs.

 

When they broke for air, Minho  moved his lips across Taemin’s jaw and neck, sucking places he remembered to be sensitive from their last two times together earning happy keening from his fiancé. His lips moved further down and he kissed one of Taemin’s nipples before he moved to the other one, taking it between his teeth and sucking it needily. Taemin’s hands came up and tugged at his hair and soft moans escaped his plump lips. When the tugging became painful, Minho  continued to travel his lips farther down, kissing his fiancé’s stomach before the tip of the younger prince’s erect member that twitched at the touch.

 

“Oh…M-Minho, please…please touch me my love.” Taemin begged and Minho  placed his lips over the tip of Taemin’s member.

 

Slowly, Minho  lowered his mouth of his mate’s erection, pulling up a bit teasingly every few centimeters until Taemin’s length was fully encased between his lips. Taemin let out soft moans at the hot wet cavern surrounding his member and bucked his hips up. Minho  moved his head with the action and moved his other hand to Taemin’s entrance, poking at it. He found it already wet and two of his fingers easily slipped inside it. The younger prince hadn’t lied when he said he had already prepared himself for his fiancé.

 

Minho  removed his mouth and added a third finger. “When did you prepare yourself?”

 

“In…in the shower,” Taemin said and moaned as Minho’s fingers brushed against that spot.

 

“And you didn’t just finish yourself there?” Minho  asked with a chuckle.

 

“What’s…what’s the point of imaging you touching me…when…when you could just touch me,” Taemin said and moved his hips against Minho’s fingers, moaning.

 

“Alright,” Minho  said and removed his fingers earning a whine of disapproval from Taemin. “Do you want me to just touch you, or do you want me in you?”

 

“In, in,” Taemin chanted and spread his legs wide. “I want you in me, I want you to love me.”

 

Minho  leaned in and kissed his fiancé before positioning himself at his entrance and began to enter.

 

Taemin let out soft cries and the pleasurable pain that came with being filled and panted.

 

“I’ll move now,” Minho  said after a few minutes and pulled at and back in. After a couple thrusts, Taemin joined in, swiveling his hips with Minho’s so he brushed against that spot more often than not. Minho  rocked the other prince’s smaller body against the headboard as he moved, the bed giving a small creak with their rhythm at the force.

 

When Minho  felt heat beginning to fill in a poll in his stomach, he moved faster and harder into his fiancé. Taemin rewarded the movements with loud moans and held tight to Minho, nails digging into his back. The younger went silent for a moment before he arched and came between their bodies, eyes fluttering with the force of his release and pouty lips in an o.

 

Minho  watched his fiancé come, entranced by the younger prince’s beauty and filled him deep inside with his own release. He caught his breath and pulled away. Taemin’s hands slipped from around his neck and fell above his head. Minho  lay beside his fiancé and stared at the beautiful boy. He couldn’t understand how someone so innocent looking could be so demanding for sexual acts. It wasn’t that he didn’t find it a good trait in the long run, after all, he should have expected it with the way he had first met his true love.

 

“Taemin,” Minho  said once it seemed the other boy had recollected himself as well.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Before I came along, who did you imagine when you touched yourself?”

 

Taemin blushed and looked over at Minho  embarrassed. “Well, no one really. I couldn’t dare imagine someone from my own kingdom, that would have been embarrassing and I wasn’t attracted to them. I wanted a foreign prince like the ones that use to visit when I was younger. I just envisioned a man like that…like you.”  The younger prince smiled at him and reached out a hand, stroking his cheek. “Actually, my imaginary man looked a lot like you. I guess I just knew exactly what I was destined to have, my frog prince.”

 

Minho  smiled back and leaned in, kissing his fiancé. He was happy that his true love had never had another man in mind.  


	11. After the Clock Strikes Twelve

**Chapter 11 – After the Clock Strikes Twelve**

 

 

In a large house at the edge of the kingdom of Aurora, there lived a beautiful young man, the son of a rich banker who had passed away years before. He left his son with a step mother and two younger step sisters. The step mother became depressed and spent her days in bed and her nights walking sleeplessly around the house. The younger two sisters didn’t understand how to deal with their mother’s sudden mood and the second death of a father and so became bitter and cruel to their older brother. The mother listened to her daughters’ complaints and pleas and became cruel to the son. They all feared he’d run away with his father’s money and so dressed him as a girl and made him do the house work and he became a slave. However, this young man was not one to take things easily and fought his way through his labors with the dream of one day leaving his cruel family and making his own riches.

 

It just so happened that as the year began again, the king of Aurora deemed that his son was much too old to continue to live unmarried. Ignoring the crowned prince’s protests, the king ordered a ball to be held and every last person of marrying age and older was to be invited. Messengers were sent out to give the invitations to the people of Aurora.

 

The young man was the one to answer the door when his family’s invitation arrived. Dressed in the castles usual style for beautiful people, he opened the door to find a handsome messenger there.

 

“A message from the castle for the family of this household; there are three children of marrying age here, are there not, a Taeyeon, Hyoyeon, and a Heechul.”

 

“Yes, I am Heechul,” the young man said.

 

“This family is invited to the prince’s ball in hopes that he may pick one of you as his bride.”

 

Heechul’s stared at the messenger as if he was crazy. “Why would we be invited? We’ll be poor after this generation with the amount of money my sisters spend. He couldn’t possibly want someone going into debt as a possible bride.”

 

  
“Our prince is a picky man; even the poorest person of the kingdom is invited in chance that he may find a bride. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must continue spreading the message,” the messenger said and held out a letter to Heechul.

 

Heechul stared at the letter for a while before jumping when one of his sisters came up from behind him and snatched the letter away, opening it.

 

“Oh my, an invitation to a ball with the prince,” said one of the sisters.

 

“Who’s it for?” asked the other.

 

“For one Taeyeon, Hyoyeon, and a Heechul.”

 

“For brother as well?” They both turned and looked at Heechul with disgusted faces.

 

“Yes, but I don’t know why. Brother, aren’t you a bit old to become the prince’s bride?”

 

Heechul frowned and glared at his sisters. “We’re the same age, I believe. Don’t you two need to ask permission before deciding that you can go?” 

 

“Oh yes, we must ask mother,” the said and Heechul listened to the heels of their feet as they tapped away.

 

Heechul walked to the wall where he had leaned his broom before answering the door and dragged it across the floor back into one of the many libraries in the house. They were mostly empty, the books, seen as useless by his younger sisters, being sold before digging into the buried riches that would lead them into debt before they were old women. Heechul planned to leave before them. If he didn’t have to worry about his share in the money, perhaps they could stay rich a little longer. He looked back at the door where the messenger had been and smiled. He would go to the ball and try and gain the prince’s favor. Even if he wasn’t chosen, he could at least find another place to go.

 

However, he would need something to wear, something that would gain his attention. Heechul quickly finished his chores and headed upstairs. He traveled into the attic and looked around the room. There was a huge bookcase still filled with books, his most prized ones he had hidden away from his sisters. They didn’t dare come to the attic afraid of ghosts and the rats that skittered about. He walked over to it and grabbed the edges of the bookcase, pulling it. It moved a foot before Heechul stopped, out of breath. He looked at the revealed section of the wall. There was a keyhole in the wall, and Heechul pulled out the necklace he wore of all the keys in the house, given to him for easier access to clean with. He stuck the oldest looking key into the hole and a section of the wall slid away to reveal a white-blue puffy dress.

 

Heechul pulled the dress down and held it against himself. He twirled in a circle and hummed lightly before stopping in front of an old mirror. He held the dress to him with one hand and used his other to pull up his long red hair and examined himself. When his father was still alive, he would often compliment Heechul on his looks, saying that he looked just like his mother that died when he was only a few years old, giving birth to a still born sister. He had been treated like a princess after that until his step-mother and sisters came along.

 

He stared at himself a bit longer before frowning. Something was missing and Heechul looked up and down before noticing his fee, covered only in slippers. He never left the house, his sisters not wanting others to see him and that left him without proper shoes. What would he wear on his feet, something that would stand out as he knew the dress would be a little short on him? His sisters had shoes, but their feet were far too small compared to his. Heechul looked around. There were glass statues over in one corner. Heechul walked over to them and inspected them. They weren’t of any use or price and so Heechul decided on glass slippers. He went back to the bookshelf and looked across the spines of the books until he found one. The book was written in words only someone who had been taught of the language would understand; the language of magic.

 

Whenever given free time, Heechul would come to the attic and read this book, teaching himself the spells and incantations. He wondered if he’d be able to bring back his mother and sister, but when his father died, he realized that wasn’t what magic was for, yet he continued to teach himself. It seemed it might come in handy as he looked for a transformation spell and pulled out the thin piece of wood he’d created, a makeshift wand. He waved it over the glass statues and chanted over and over. It took a few tries to get even a spark. The first two statues were a failure, one exploding and the other turned into a lumpy clump of glass. Finally, the last statue turned into a pair of shoes. Heechul slid them on and smiled when they fit perfectly, created specifically for himself.

 

After washing up the dress, Heechul went about finishing cleaning the house. He kept a watchful eye on the dress and shoes as his sisters went about the week whining about having nothing to wear until their mother finally gave them money to go out and buy something. The ball was at the end of the week and they laughed and teased Heechul about not having anything, thinking he was not to go. Heechul didn’t correct them. He didn’t plan to go with them, but on his own. He had money saved up and had already rented his own carriage and horse to take him to the ball.

 

When the night for the ball finally came, Heechul waited until an hour after his sisters had left, accompanied by their mother. He dressed himself and waited for his own carriage to arrive.

 

The castle was huge and more beautiful than Heechul remembered it to be from the times he and his father use to be invited to parties when he was hardly old enough to walk around without holding his hand, five years before he was remarried.

 

He followed the procession of beautifully dressed men and women, wearing clothes that matched their faces and not genders like his own, but he still felt he was the most beautiful of them all. Heechul held his head tall and proud as he walked pass people until he reached the ball room. There was already a group dancing in the middle of the floor. He spotted his two sisters, both beautiful and in arms of other men, overtaking the dance floor and decided to avoid that area. He walked about on the outskirts where older men and women hung out, the escorts of the younger people or lords that always showed up at royal parties. Heechul began to feel uncomfortable as these older men and women took interest in him. He was a bit old to be looking. Young people meant to marry other young people usually did so while young in his kingdom. Even if he had not been kept inside by his sisters, Heechul felt he would have had no interest in people of his age or older. When they started to come up and talk to him, Heechul decided it was time to get a breath of fresh air before searching down the prince.

 

Heechul found a balcony and leaned against the railing. He had a beautiful view of Aurora just as the sun finished setting and darkness covered the sky. He looked up and down the balcony railings until he saw another body doing the same. He studied them, dressed in white and gold and light blues, very princely, and then saw the crown.

 

“My prince?” he asked.

 

The other person turned to him and smiled. Heechul immediately understood it to be a fake smile. His lips twitched a bit as if tired. He had probably smiled at many girls and guys that night already, being forced to entertain them.

 

“Yes, may I help you?”

 

“You’re the one that looks like you need help,” Heechul said and went back to looking out at the night seem of Aurora.

 

“Pardon me? What do you mean by that?”

 

Heechul turned back to him. “Is it really that bad out there with all those people talking to you? They’re young and beautiful.”

 

“Yes well, I’m not interested in marriage. How did you know?”

 

“I use to come here when I was little. I played with you once and have seen you smile for real. We’re the same age.”

 

“Ah, I believe I remember a boy that looked like you. Your name?”

 

“Kim Heechul. You’re prince Leeteuk?”

 

“Indeed. Are you here to earn my throne?”

 

“I’m here to get away, whether that leads to me becoming your bride or getting a job via someone else I meet here, I don’t care.”

 

“How honest; and what are you trying to get away from?” the prince asked.

 

“My father died long ago and my step-mother became depressed. My two step-sisters will take us into bankruptcy. I don’t want to be left with that. I want them to marry well and leave to their own lives.”

 

“What would you do with the life of a prince?”

 

Heechul smiled and looked across the kingdom. “It’s been a while since I’ve been pampered. My sisters refuse to pay help so I do the chores. I don’t like conflict and will keep it from rising. I love peace and I love this view.”

 

“Are you good with politics?”

 

“I can learn to talk about it. I would love this sort of life.”

 

“Then how about it?”

 

Heechul turned to the prince curiously. “What do you mean?”

 

“How about you become king? I want to run away, too. I want to do things to help people. Aurora’s peaceful already; I feel I need to go where they need me. Aurora needs someone like you, someone who will think of only Aurora, who is selfish in getting what they want. As long as what you want is peace, then that’s good.”

 

“Are you making a proposal?”

 

“A contract more like since I’m obviously not your type and you’re not mine. In exchange for two heirs and my freedom, I’ll give you all of this,” the prince said and waved his hand across the scenery of the kingdom.

 

Heechul thought for a moment. Did he want to marry a man he wasn’t in love with? He looked Leeteuk up and down and then held a hand out. “I think we’ll be great friends.”

 

Leeteuk took his hand. “I believe so, too.”

 

Heechul reached down and plucked one of his glass slippers from his foot, handing it to Leeteuk. “So this isn’t as suspicious. Say you found this shoe and decided that whoever can fit this will be your bride. It’s designed only to fit me.”

 

The prince grinned. “You really will be a great peace time king.”

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

So, Heechul was married to Prince Leeteuk. They took one year to become friends before discussion of an heir began to take place. It was some night after the discussion of the first heir’s conception that the thief came. Heechul looked out his bedroom window. He had a door that connected to Leeteuk’s bedroom, though the prince still slept in his old room a few halls away most nights. He walked out onto the balcony and enjoyed the night view of Aurora. He had heard one of his sisters were engaged and wondered what they were doing now, having not seen them since his wedding. Something in the woods to the east of the castle, the area that led up to the gardens of the castle caught his attention. He turned his attention back to the kingdom and watched until the clock struck twelve. He turned away and started back into the castle when something suddenly grabbed him around the waist. Heechul wanted to scream, but his mouth was quickly covered as well.

 

“Don’t say a word or I’ll kill you,” said a voice close to his ear, a deep voice that sent chills down his body. He nodded. “I’ll let you go, but you have to promise not to say a word.”

 

Slowly, the hands went away and Heechul turned around. He gasped seeing the face of the man that had just threatened his life. He was obviously younger, but his face was something Heechul never wanted to look away from. It was an odd feeling, love at first sight.

 

“What…what do you want?”

 

“I’m a thief and this is a castle. I’ve come to steal of course.”

 

“You could simply ask for money, we’re not an unreasonable kingdom, we give to the needy.”

 

“A kingdom that gives to the poor, why, I’ve never heard such a lie!” The thief chuckled. Heechul glared.

 

“It’s not a lie. I was almost poor myself, going into bankruptcy after both parents’ deaths. And now, I’m the queen to be.”

 

The thief looked him up and down. “Queen to be, are you? Then I’ve definitely come to the right room. Shall I just steal you and call for ransom money?”

 

“You’ve already stolen me,” Heechul said.

 

The thief looked surprised and then confused. “You shouldn’t say things like that. You’re beautiful, you’re tempting me. Don’t you have a husband?”

 

“We’re friends, not lovers. We have yet to even try in the act of child making.”

 

“Is he undesirable sexually?”

 

“No, just not my style of man.”

 

“And I am?” the thief asked amused.

 

“It would seem so. Do you still plan to steal?” 

 

“Yes, and then I’ll leave.”

 

“And if I don’t want you to leave, if I want you to come back?” Heechul asked walking closer to the thief.

 

“You’re playing with dangerous words there, my queen.”

 

The thief left with only Heechul’s heart that night. He came again the next through Heechul’s window using the excuse of stealing treasures after twelve, but kept leaving again with more and more of Heechul’s feelings. He didn’t understand why he had fallen in love with a thief of all people. There was no hope for their romance while Leeteuk was in the picture.

 

After a few nights spent with the thief just talking, explaining to him the beauty of the kingdom and other kingdoms and hearing the thief’s own sad tale of how he came to be a thief, Heechul confronted Leeteuk.

 

“I’m in love.”

 

Leeteuk turned to Heechul surprised. “Not with me, right?”

 

“No, someone else. Are you angry?”

 

Leeteuk went back to his work, sitting at his desk in his study. “There’s no need to be angry, we’re not in love. It would be strange for us to continue without affairs. Just don’t sleep with him when we’re trying for the heirs.”

 

“Alright, I understand. Do you have a lover, Leeteuk?”

 

The prince turned to Heechul and shook his head. “No, I have no interest in those things. You just be happy, alright. Give yourself to someone you actually want.”

 

With his husband’s blessing, Heechul sat on his bed that night and waited for the thief to return. After the clock struck twelve, a shadow appeared on the balcony followed by the thief. He snuck in and went up to Heechul. Heechul immediately wrapped his arms around the thief’s neck and pulled him in for a kiss. The thief seemed surprised and pulled away.

 

“What was that?”

 

“Make love to me. You want to steal, steal all of me.”

 

“Are you sure, won’t your husband be angry?”

 

“I told him I had a lover. He is alright with it,” Heechul explained. “Soon, I will have to give him children and so I want to be able to pretend it’s you, his hands and everything.”

 

“You want come away with me?” the thief asked.

 

“I love it here; I worked hard to be here. When my husband goes away, come back to me.”

 

“Will you live your life waiting for my return?” the thief asked.

 

“I am not stupid to believe you’ll come back, I don’t even know your name. I just ask for this night and hope that I’ll see you again.”

 

And so the thief lay with Heechul and showed him pleasure he had never thought to experience before until it was time for the thief to leave.

 

Heechul watched from his bed as the thief redressed. “Will you really not stay?”

 

“I’ve stayed too long already without stealing anything I can sell.”

 

“I’ll give you something for your troubles then,” Heechul said and stood up, covering himself with only a sheet. He went to a chest and carefully pulled out a glass slipper, the twin to the one he had give Leeteuk that now stayed a monument of their marriage in the throne room.

 

“This is one of a kind, it will only fit me.”

 

“If it only fits you, I can’t sell it.”

 

“It is my selfish gift,” Heechul said and handed him silks and materials. “These are what it was wrapped in. They are worth a high price in other kingdoms. Until we meet again, goodbye my thief.”

 

The thief leaned in and kissed Heechul once, whispering against his lips, “Goodbye my queen.”


	12. A Moonlit Night in the Cave

**Chapter 12 – A Moonlit Night in the Cave**

 

 

They had traveled for almost a week since leaving the village Minho  had met Taemin’s father. They continued eastwards, only a day or two away from the next kingdom by Minho’s calculations, though calculating had always been his week point. He started to recognize a few of the small houses they had passed by as similar to the ones he had seen as a child when visiting his cousin. He was sure the other prince’s kingdom would show up soon, perhaps they would arrive in time for the wedding.

 

It was getting dark and it had been more than twenty-four hours since Minho  had slept. He could tell the horses needed a rest as well, the white stallion trotting behind with their baggage load and the two fairies napping on its back. Minho  had been surprised that the white horse had taken to the two fairies and didn’t mind them buzzing about his head while the black stallion he and Taemin rode always seemed annoyed with them. Taemin occasionally moved to ride the white horse, but he got tired quickly. Afraid his fiancé would fall from the horse if he fell asleep on it, Minho  had to stop to let the younger prince ride with him, snuggled into his chest to sleep. That was why it had taken them so long to get this far, continuing to stop. Not that Minho  was complaining, he wanted Taemin to be comfortable after all.

 

Minho  had thought about buying a carriage, but he could hear Taemin’s protests without even needing to ask. “Who would drive the carriage? Surely not you, I would want you to be with me. It would be lonely in a carriage myself.”

 

The older prince looked up at the sky. The moon was high and full and glowed down on them. They needed a place to rest for the night. Minho  looked around but only saw semi-tropical vegetation and tall trees. There wasn’t even a clearing to build a fire in. Eventually his eyes landed on a hole dug into the bottom of a cliff. Vines grew all around it making the entrance hard to see. A cave? Minho  led the horses closer.

 

“Taemin, Taemin, wake up,” he said shaking his sleeping fiancé.

 

The younger prince’s eyes slowly opened and he smiled sleepily up at Minho. “Hmm?”

 

Minho  couldn’t help but smile back down. “We are stopping for the night, but I need to see if it’s safe.”

 

Taemin frowned but moved so Minho  could dismount. He removed his sword from its sheath and turned to Taemin. “A kiss for good luck?”

 

Taemin smiled and leaned down from his place still on the black stallion to kiss his fiancé quickly on the lips. “Good luck, Minho.”

 

Minho  smiled and turned away. Putting on a serious face, he approached the cave. He swept away a few vines and walked inside. There was a sudden light and Minho  slashed his sword around only to hear a squeak.

 

“Yah, don’t go swinging that thing around like that,” the witch fairy said and his little scepter lit up to show the depth of the cave.

 

“Sorry, I didn’t know you were awake.”

 

“Good for you I was. Who goes into a cave without a light?”

 

Minho  chose not to answer and inspected the cave. Other than a small bunny family in the corner, Minho  saw nothing more dangerous. If it was safe enough for rabbits, it was safe enough for Taemin.

 

“Bunnies!”

 

Minho  turned to see Taemin at the entrance already. He rushed in and ran to the rabbits before Minho  had a chance to ask why he’d come to a possibly dangerous cave before Minho  told him it was safe. However, any plans he had to reprimand the younger prince were dropped at the sight of him holding a fluffy white bunny.

 

“Well, that’s cute,” said the other fairy, entering the cave.

 

Minho  nodded and turned to address the fairies. “We need to keep a watch, however.”

 

“We’ll watch,” Jonghyun said. “You have not gotten much sleep and we sleep all the time.”

 

“I like my beauty sleep,” Key said and crossed his arms.

 

The beast fairy rolled his eyes. “Fine, I’ll keep watch, but Key’s coming with me. You two can have the cave.”

 

Minho  smiled and nodded. “Thank you for keeping watch.” He walked over to Taemin who was still playing with the rabbits. “I’ll prepare a bed, you can play more.”

 

Minho  quickly gathered their possessions from the horses and laid down the blankets on the cleanest part of the cave floor he could find. He changed from his riding gear into just the pants of the clothes he was given in Aurora and slipped under the sheets.

 

“Taemin, come to bed,” he called to his fiancé who was still playing with the bunnies.

 

The younger prince patted each fluffy creature before going over to their pile of clothes. Minho  closed his eyes and turned about trying to get comfortable. He could hear his fiancé finally making his way to the bed and lay on his back, not wanting to disturb Taemin with his moving. He had planned on pulling Taemin into his arms and sleep as they usually did, but that thought was disrupted when he felt someone straddle his waist. Minho’s eyes snapped opened and he looked up at his fiancé’s face in the dim light that the fairy had created for them in the cave. The younger prince was naked of all but his red bow that he continued to wear even with the riding clothes. He smiled down at Minho and shifted his hips. Minho  couldn’t help but moan.

 

“T-Taemin, what are you doing?”

 

 Taemin shifted again and laughed lightly. “You really have to stop making me wait so many days, Minho. I thought you understood in the inn.” He leaned down and pecked Minho’s lips, moving back only a few centimeters. “I need you, Minho. I need you to touch me. Please touch me, Minho.”

 

How could Minho  say no? Was there a reason to any longer? Minho  did not waist time insisting they not make love again until they were married. They had already known each other’s bodies more than once since their first time to break Minho’s curse. He had been selfish to ask that of Taemin then, he would not keep from giving his true love what he wanted any longer. If he was going to be married to someone that demanded sex frequently, then so be it.

 

Minho  moved his hips up against Taemin’s bottom, his pants and the sheet the only thing between them. “I need you, too, Taemin. Get rid of the sheet.”

 

The boy laughed and immediately shifted the sheet away. Minho  watched him curiously as Taemin shifted between his legs and poked at his hardening member through the soft fabric of the pants.

 

“T-Taemin, what are you doing, come here.”  
  


The younger prince shook his head and grabbed the band of Minho’s pants to pull them down. He grabbed Minho’s member and stroked. “I want to try this, Minho. Please let me taste you once.”

 

Taste him? Minho  felt himself grow harder at the mere  image of his cute fiancé’s lips around his member. He nodded quickly and sat up a bit to get a better view. Taemin positioned his face over his fiancé’s member and slowly lowered his lips around the tip. He started going down, but pulled away. He pouted his lips and tilted his head this way and that as if trying to decide how to continue.

 

“Just…just lick,”  Minho  instructed.

 

The younger prince stuck his tongue out and licked up Minho’s member, His big brown eyes looked at Minho  curiously as if asking if he was doing it right. Minho  just stared back into them and moaned. He wanted to be in his fiancé. The difference between Taemin’s usual innocence during the day and his seducing charm at night or when alone was a confusing turn on for the Eastern Prince.

 

“Taemin…oh wow…Taemin turn around.”

 

“Why?” the younger prince asked.

 

“So I can prepare you.”

 

Taemin obeyed and turned, his round bottom only centimeters from Minho’s face. Minho  lay back down and pulled Taemin into a better position. “Continue.”

 

The younger prince went back to licking Minho’s member, occasionally taking just the tip between his lips and trying for more. Minho  moved his hands to his fiancé’s bottom and kneaded the soft flesh earning a small mewl from Taemin. He grabbed both cheeks and spread them apart before pulling Taemin’s bottom half down more. He blew a small puff of hair on his fiancé’s entrance that was revealed and it twitched as well as a mewl escaping Taemin. Minho  smirked and ran his tongue against it.

 

“It’s wet…what, what are you doing?” Taemin asked turning his head a bit.

 

“I’m going to do this quickly, so I’m going to wet you as much as I can, please bear with it,” Minho  said and continued flicking his tongue against Taemin’s hole. He eventually pushed his tongue into Taemin’s hole, thrusting it in and out and Taemin moaned, almost forgetting about his own task of coating Minho’s member.

 

Minho  moved his tongue away and pushed two fingers in instead. He scissor quickly and added a third. “Are you alright.”

 

“Minho…touch me, please,” Taemin pleaded, moving his hips a bit against Minho’s fingers.

 

Minho  stroked Taemin’s member as he finished stretching him. “Alright, lay down.”

 

“No,” Taemin said and moved around, straddling Minho’s hips again. “Like this.”

 

Minho  watched as Taemin positioned himself over his member. He teased the pulsing organ against his hole and bit his lip. He looked at Minho  a bit unsurely before lowering himself. Minho  moaned and gripped Taemin’s thigh once the younger prince was all the way seated to calm himself. It really had been too long. Taemin was still as tight as the first time and warm. He just wanted to thrust upward, feel the friction of those walls moving against his sensitive organ.

 

“Can I…can I move?” Taemin asked.

 

Minho  looked at his fiancé. The younger prince was shivering and Minho  chuckled a bit. “That’s up to you.”

 

He started to move and Minho  moaned. He tried his best to watch Taemin as he moved up and down on his shaft, fully lips opened in an oval and eyes fluttering closed as he pleasured himself on Minho. It reminded Minho  somewhat of the first time he had seen the younger prince in pleasure, but instead of his own fingers, he was moving himself on Minho’s member.

 

A loud moan left Taemin’s lips followed by a whine. “Minho~~, move too.”

 

Minho  shook himself of his thoughts and grabbed Taemin’s hips, moving up with his every downward movement, angling himself differently every time until Taemin was calling out as he grazed against that spot.

 

“Ah…ah, Minho~,” the younger prince moaned. His hands laid on Minho’s abs and the slight stroking of the younger’s fingers against those muscles added pleasure for Minho. He could feel heat building up inside him and new he wouldn’t last long.

 

“Taemin touch yourself, I’m going to come soon.”

 

The younger prince moved one of his hands to stroke his own member as he bounced up and down on Minho.  Now only supported by one hand, his fingers claw as Minho’s abs and he could feel them making small scratches. They felt good though and Minho  moved faster. He only moaned in warning as he came inside Taemin, coating his insides. Taemin moaned and moved his hand away, coming on Minho’s abs and a bit on his own stomach. His eyes fluttered tiredly and he swayed a bit as he caught his breath.

 

“Sleep?” Minho  asked once he’d recovered.

 

Taemin nodded and rolled them to the side with sudden surprising strength. He kept one leg hooked around Minho’s so Minho  couldn’t pull out of him.

 

“Sleep like this,” Taemin said tiredly and was asleep before Minho  could protest.

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

“You think they’re having sex?” Jonghyun asked as he and Key sat on a rock just outside the cave keeping watch.

 

“Can’t you hear them moaning already?” Key answered and rolled his eyes. He couldn’t understand why Jonghyun insisted he keep watch with him other than ‘What if someone pretty shows up, I’ll attack them without you’, which sort of angered the witch fairy and made him smack the other over the head with his scepter. Or, at least he tried to, but those dragon like wings were powerful and Jonghyun had flown out of shot of the small peace of metal.

 

“You know, Kibum, tonight’s a full moon,” Jonghyun pointed out.

 

“And?” Key questioned.

 

“You said my curse can only be lifted on a full moon. How about you lift it?”

 

Key frowned and looked into the jungle around them. “Never.”

 

A hand landed on Key’s shoulder. He felt breath close to his ear and tried not to shiver.

 

“You have to set me free at some point, Kibum.”

 

Key crossed his arms and tried to shrug Jonghyun’s hand off. “No.”

 

“Why?”

 

Why…Key didn’t want to answer Jonghyun. Wasn’t it fine like this? It wasn’t like Jonghyun was ugly even in this form, maybe a bit scarier, but definitely not ugly. And like this he wouldn’t be able to run away from Key and sleep with more princesses. Unless they were ugly princesses but Key couldn’t understand why Jonghyun would want to sleep with an ugly princess when he had a perfectly good witch beside him if he was really that desperate for sex. Of course if Jonghyun was that desperate, Key wouldn’t agree to let him use his body…at least that’s what he told himself.

 

“Kibum, it’s been a year so please answer me.”

 

“Tell me why you slept with her.”

 

Jonghyun sighed and moved away. “It’s been a year, are you actually going to listen to me, are you actually going to believe me?”

 

Key licked his lips and brought his knees to his chest. “How can I believe you?”

 

“I guess it doesn’t matter, I’m already cursed. Turn around though and look at me while I talk.”

 

Key did so. His eyes widened seeing the serious face of the fairy prince as he looked back at him.

 

“I should have told you before it happened,” Jonghyun began, “but you were so busy. I’ve never seen you busy before, it was surprising and I wondered if maybe you didn’t want to be bothered with someone like me. I never planned on marrying her, that princess. At first I was just going to be engaged until one of my family got married. We were all engaged, but not married and I knew a marriage would come soon. The girl wasn’t a princess really, just a rich pretty girl. If I was engaged to her, I wouldn’t be forced to marry so young and to someone I didn’t want to marry.”

 

“You didn’t want to get married?” Key asked. “Was there that possibility?”

 

Jonghyun nodded. “A real princess from another fairy kingdom was going to visit in the next few months, I was one of maybe three heirs without a fiancé. It would have definitely been me.”

 

Key felt tears in his eyes and looked away from Jonghyun. “You should have told me that. I had heard about the princess.”

 

“I was going to, but then she found out I did not really plan to marry her.”

 

Key’s hands clenched at the material of his pants and he looked up at the night sky instead. “Why did you sleep with her?”

 

“That was the night she found out. She started threatening me and then I let it slipped I loved you. We had not really talked recently and the things she said, they were so cruel. I became weak, mentally. I just wanted her to go away, I tried to sleep in hopes she would understand, but before I knew it, she was trying to seduce me. She said she would make me marry her, she would create our son.”

 

“Did she succeed?”

 

“No, she is still a virgin when it comes to me.”

 

“And you?”

 

Jonghyun chuckled and moved closer to Key. “How am I still a virgin with someone like you around.”

 

Key tried to push him away but was only pulled into a tight hug. Lips brushed his ear and he shivered.

 

“I still think you’re the prettiest, Kibum. I always have this urge to attack you since the curse, but I can’t of course.”

 

Key’s hands moved and fisted at the shoulders of Jonghyun’s shirt. “You do attack me sometimes.”

 

“Only on full moons,” Jonghyun laughed and pushed Key down on the rock.

 

There was something about full moons that brought out the more beastly side of Jonghyun. Key had fallen pray to it a few times before, remembering those nights they’d made love as Jonghyun touched his body with what he had always thought were tainted hands. He still wasn’t sure if he believed Jonghyun, but what was the point in lying after year? It wasn’t like Key planned on freeing him any time soon. It was like he had a leash on Jonghyun and he kind of liked that.

 

Before Key knew it, he was naked in the moonlight. Jonghyun hovered over him, one hand between his legs, pushing fingers inside to prepare Key. The witch fairy was caught up in the look in Jonghyun’s eyes. It was close to the same look he had the first time they made love. Key felt his chest clench at the thought. They were making love. Tears streamed lightly from his eyes from both the pain of three fingers and his feelings. He reached up and brought the beast fairy down for a kiss. Tongue battled against each other until Key couldn’t breathe and pulled away. He moaned as kisses were trailed down his neck and collar, stopping to make a mark occasionally. A tongue flicked against one of his nipples and he moaned, his stomach tightening.

 

“Please, Jonghyun, don’t mess around.”

 

Jonghyun grinned softly down at Key and stroked the witch’s member. “I’m not playing around. Tell me what you need.”

 

“Say it,” Key said. “We’re making love, so say it.”

 

Jonghyun leaned down and kissed Key lightly before softly say. “I love you Kibum. Even if you’ve cursed me for being stupid, I still love you, this stubborn, rash, jealous, beautiful you.” Then he entered.

 

Kisses rained down on Key’s face until the other started to move. He hooked his legs around Jonghyun’s waist and brought him closer. The pleasure started to grow again and he moved his hips. He tried to keep his eyes opened, tried to catch as much of that look of love in Jonghyun’s eyes as they moved connected to each other. In the fairy kingdom there had been times where they had just sex, too caught up in their young age and needs, but at night when everything was quiet, they made love, on nights like this. They hadn’t made love in a year, at least Key never thought it was still love until then.

 

“Kibum, Kibum, close,” Jonghyun warned and picked up his pace, going deeper and harder.

 

Key moaned back his answer. His wings fluttered from their place caught between his body and the rock indicating his release was only mere seconds away. He arched and called out Jonghyun’s name, gripping the beast fairy’s strong arms. He felt his insides be coated as he came down from his side and heard Jonghyun’s moan of release. Jonghyun lay down on top of him. Key had a thought of nagging him too get up, his body heavy compared to Key’s, but the heaviness was warm and comfortable and Key wrapped one arm around Jonghyun. With the other, he reached out for his scepter tossed to the side as they made love. He lifted it, muttering a quick tired spell of protection over the cage and let his eyelids flutter close.  

 


	13. A Cousin's Castle and a Brother

**Chapter 13 – A Cousin’s Castle and a Brother**

 

 

It was three more days before Minho and his entourage found any signs of human life and starveling through the thick tropical vegetation had made it hard for Minho  to find springs or small lakes and he had resorted to collecting drizzle from the early morning air. He needed to refill their provisions, he had not calculated the amount of food his fiancé could consume during one day’s ride and denying Taemin food only made the boy broody and he had been forced to stop every night and make it up to the younger prince, not that he particularly minded, but sex was tiring and he could have used that time they slept to travel further.

 

Minho  first realized they were approaching a kingdom when he saw the trees beginning to thin, stumps sticking out of the ground. The second sign was the tools littered around the stumps and a man napping by one, an ax beside him. Minho  left the man to sleep when he noticed the bottle of alcohol beside him and aroused Taemin from his nap on Minho’s chest. He looked around and listened for signs of inhabitants. Taemin shook his shoulder and pointed to their right.

 

“It’s a rock wall, Minho.”

 

Indeed, there was a large wall a few meters away, like a stone fence. Minho  moved the horses over to it and began to walk around it, waiting until they came upon a door.

 

“Minho~, it’s taking too long,” Taemin whined. He kept wriggling on the saddle making it hard for Minho  to keep control of the horse.

 

 Taemin had been like this for the past few days, whining and antsy. He wasn’t angry because Minho  was able to keep that at bay at night, but the lack of food was getting to the younger prince. Minho  had not thought about it at first, but Taemin was probably not use to rationing food on long trips. He would not say it to the boy’s face, but he realized was the ‘princess’ of his kingdom. Of course, Minho  still loved Taemin for it. He didn’t mind spoiling the boy, but he hoped Taemin would get use to it. Minho  liked having his fiancé on trips with him and wanted to bring Taemin along with him once married if he could.

 

“What are you looking for?” a tired Key asked coming to land on Minho’s shoulder.

 

“A way into this stone wall; we need provisions and rest,” Minho  said.

 

“Already, didn’t we just buy a bunch of stuff at the last village with that Robin Hood guy?” Jonghyun asked landing on Minho’s other shoulder.

 

“Yes, but we need more.”

 

“Because I ate it all?” Taemin asked. He looked up at Minho with a pouty frown, arms crossed.

 

“Taemin, you did not eat it all.”

 

“Every time I say I’m hungry, you say we have to ration the food, you did not say that when we first had food, you let me eat whenever I wanted. You should tell me if I’m eating too much.”

 

“You are not eating too much, Taemin,” Minho  said bringing the black stallion to a stop, the white horse stopping behind them as well. “You are a growing boy who needs to be healthy, I just forgot you are younger than me and not use to being out here like this. I should have bought more provisions.”  

 

“So you are saying you could last longer if I was not here? Should I not have come? You would have gotten farther already if it wasn’t for me?”

 

Minho  could see tears in his fiancé’s eyes and sighed. It seemed his true love not only got emotional when he was sex deprived, but food deprived as well. From his place behind Taemin, Minho cupped the boy’s face upside down and leaned forward, looking meaningfully into his fiancé’s eyes. “Yes, I would have been farther along, but I would have been lonely. The only reason I would have tried hard to go through this mission was so I could come back to you. However, you’re here with me now, so I don’t mind going at your pace even if I want to quickly marry you. This is our own little adventure now, and I’m happy you’re with me. I love you.”

 

Taemin smiled up at him. “Kiss.”

 

Minho  placed his lips onto the younger prince’s then pulled away.

 

“Awe, you two are too cute,” Key cooed then tugged Minho’s hair. “You shouldn’t let him be hungry, buy more food.”

 

Minho  shooed the fairy away and urged the horses into a fast trot again as they walked around the stone wall. He turned to the fairies. “Do you guys think you could help us find the gate? I believe I know which kingdom this is. If I’m right, this is the back wall of a castle.”

 

The fairies flew up higher and Minho  made the horses go a bit faster.

 

“Over here, there’s like a gate,” called one of the fairies and Minho  followed the voice.

 

He could see Key and Jonghyun fluttering about a five covered gate. He dismounted his horse and tugged on the vines. He jiggled the gate, but it seemed locked. He thought about climbing it, but it looked much too high. Shouldn’t there be a guard around here. “Hello, hello, is anyone there?”

 

“What are you doing?” Taemin asked.

 

“Why would they leave a gate in such a vulnerable place without someone to protect it, there has to be a guard nearby,” Minho  explained and started to rattle the gate again. “Hello.”

 

“Stop making all that racket and get out,” said a gruffly voice from the wall.

 

“We ask to be let in, or at least directed to the main entrance of this castle,” Minho  said.

 

“What do you want from our kingdom? All these peasants thinking they can just come in here as they please just because our prince nice prince came back with a bride. Go away!”

 

Minho  frowned hearing the guard’s words. “You should show your face when talking to someone or else how will you know who you are speaking to. If I am not allowed to enter here, tell me where I can enter.”

 

“You have to make an appointment. There’s that man in the market that does those, stop bothering the guards if you have woes to speak to the king about.”

 

“Minho?” Taemin asked. “Let’s just keep walking around until we find a nicer guard.”

 

Minho  stubbornly shook his head. He definitely knew where he was now. How dare this guard deny his access without even seeing his face. “I will be talking to my uncle and cousin of you. Is this not the Western Castle of the royal family Choi?”

 

“Well, of course it is, who here would not know that?” the guard said. “Are you travelers, that’s just great, more peasants to deal with.”

 

“I would prefer if you would not refer to peasants on such a low standard. As well, please open this gate and tell someone to announce that Prince Choi Minho  of the Eastern Choi Royalty is here along with a Prince Lee Taemin of the Northern Kingdom Aurora.”

 

“Princes you say? Why would you come through the back?” the guard said and suddenly came into view. His eyes widened and Minho  pulled out both the emblems of his and Taemin’s status. The guard quickly unlocked the back gate and bowed.

 

“We’re simply traveling, we are just stopping by. Siwon is here, you say?”

 

The guard nodded. “Yes, Prince Siwon is here with a bride, he just arrived three days ago.”

 

Minho  nodded and took the reigns of the black stallion while Taemin stayed seated on the horse, leading them away. “Don’t bother escorting us, I will take it from here.”

 

“Hey, if you knew this was your cousin’s castle, why didn’t you know where the front entrance was?” Jonghyun asked.

 

“There was not that huge wall the last time I visited. There was still a wood one, they had just started the stone wall, so it looked much different. However, the inside is still similar, this is the back gardens,” Minho  explained and led them to through the garden and around to the front of the castle. The guard from before must have sent out a message as there were already servants waiting for them at the front.

 

“We’ll take the horses and your things to a guest bedroom. Should we prepare two?” a servant asked.

 

“One please,” Minho  said and helped Taemin down from the horse immediately claiming a hold of his waist as he started up the stairs to the front door of the castle, the two fairies snuggled into his shirt.

 

A bright smile crossed Minho’s face at the sight of his cousin and Kibum on the top stair.

 

“Minho, you’re here,” Siwon said and reached out to embrace his younger cousin.

 

“Yes, I did not expect to come across your castle, Siwon. I am glad we got here so close to each other and you brought Kibum as well, how are you?”

 

The snow white boy smiled. He seemed much brighter, healthier. “I am fine. And I have been treated well here so far.”

 

“When will you two marry?” Minho  asked.

 

Siwon frowned. “Unfortunately my father was not thrilled that my bride was a man. He has forbid us to marry until he is on his death bed, so it will be a few years until we can officially wed.”

 

Minho  shook his head. “How silly, but still I hope the best for the two of you. We shall not stay long, just a couple of days to get more provisions.”

 

“It’s because I ate all the food,” Taemin said smiling brightly, in a better mood now that they were in a castle.

 

“Yes well, I forgot how much my fiancé still has to grow,” Minho  said.

 

Siwon just grinned at his cousin. “I suppose it would be easy for you to forget your fiancé is quite young, not that you’re not young yourself.”

 

Minho  just gave a sheepish smile and followed his cousin into the castle.

 

“Oh, we have another guest, it was very surprising, another adventuring prince like you two. He is in the dining room feasting, you two may join he and us if you’re hungry.”

 

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

 

Indeed, upon entering the dining room, Minho  saw the feast set out. Plates piled high with different platters of fowl decorated the table along with breads and vegetables and exotic fruits. At the end of the table sat a man eating. His hair was smooth and fell around his face and face looked soft until Minho  saw him actually eating. He took large bites of the bird’s legs and wings and big spoons of the marinated poultries, quickly spooning them into his mouth before getting more. Minho  figured this man must the famished to eat like such in front of royalty and felt a little sorry for him. Perhaps he would lend the man money to buy more provisions since Siwon said he was on a quest just like he and Taemin were. He might also see if he could not help him with his quest so the man could quickly go back home for such a gentle looking man definitely had a lovely family waiting for him.

 

At least those were Minho’s attention until Taemin caught sight of the man.

 

“Brother?”

 

The man froze in his devouring and looked up. His eyes widened as they landed on Taemin before a huge grin burst out on his face. He stood up and walk away from the table before holding his arms out. Taemin squealed and ran straight into those arms and the man twirled him around. Minho  was shocked, not even able to be jealous that another man was holding his fiancé so intimately until he placed a sloppy food covered kiss on Taemin’s cheek.

 

“W-who are you?” Minho  said approaching the other man and reached out for Taemin only to have him pulled behind the man.

 

“I should be asking you that,” the man said. “What are you doing with my brother?”

 

“Oh, so this man is your fiancé’s brother?” Siwon asked looking between them. He had an amused look, a sort of, I-am-glad-I-am-not-you look on his face.

 

“What do you mean Siwon?”

 

The host prince just shook his head and took Kibum to the other end of the table. “You’ll see.”

 

Turning his attention back to the man, Minho  was taken aback by the sudden anger on the man’s face. “You are that ‘fiancé’ that took my baby brother?”

 

“What are you talking about? Who are you and unhand my fiancé,” Minho  said reaching out for Taemin again only to have his hand slapped away.

 

“Do not touch my brother!”

 

“Your brother?” Minho  asked and turned to Taemin who was looking between them nervously. “Taemin, is this guy your brother?”  
  


Taemin nodded and tried to pull himself free only to frown when the man’s grip only tightened. “Yes, this is my brother, Onew. Onew, this is my fiancé, Choi Minho.”

 

“Fiancé, I don’t think so, he is just a monster that stole you away without permission. I will kill him,” Onew said and suddenly threw a sword.

 

Minho  went for his own.

 

Siwon clapped his hands bringing both of their attention to him. “Swords away, no blood shed. Dear honored guest, please don’t threaten to kill my cousin on these premises, wait until you are out of my kingdom to duel. Please take your seats.”

 

The man, Onew, put his sword away. Minho  did as well with a little more reluctance seeing as Taemin was still in his brother’s grasp. They both eyed each other as they made their ways to their seats, coming to sit closer to Siwon on the cleaner end of the table.

 

“Onew, let me go, I want to sit beside Minho,” Taemin said as he was dragged onto the opposite side of the table.

 

“No, you are sitting with me. I don’t want you anywhere near that man.”

 

Minho  turned and looked at Siwon. “Is this what you meant?”

 

Siwon laughed. “Yes, this man has been badmouthing his little brother’s fiancé from the moment he sat down with us. I never imagined it was you though. He came here looking famished early this morning.”

 

Minho  turned his attention back to the man that was supposed to be his brother-in-law. He had successfully gotten Taemin into the seat next to him and the younger boy was brooding in his chair with his arms crossed.

 

“Why are you here, brother, I though you were still on your mission in the northern mountains,” Taemin said.

 

Onew waved a chicken leg around seeming quite pleased with the fact Taemin was sitting beside him instead of Minho. “Yes, I finished it and came home and then I found out some strange prince had whisked you off somewhere.” Onew bit down hard on the meat and glared at Minho  making the Eastern prince a little unsettled. “It was only natural that I chase after you, Taemin, and rescue you from this horrible man.”

 

“You’re horrible,” Taemin said and pushed at his brother’s shoulder making him drop the chicken. Onew frowned and went to pick it up as Taemin continued to yell at his brother. “Did you not listen to Mother when he talked to you? I’m sure he told you I ran away, right? Minho  didn’t whisk me off, I followed him. And Minho’s nice, and strong, and handsome, and he loves me, and Mother said we could get married so let me go sit beside my fiancé and you go home!”

 

The younger prince tried to scramble away, but only got pushed down by Onew’s hand on his leg. “No, I will not go home unless you come with me. Mother gave that man a quest for your hand, stop acting as if you two are already married.”

 

Taemin started beating on Onew’s arm until his brother finally let him go and the younger prince scrambled under the table and up Minho’s body, clinging to him as he sat in his lap. He turned his head to his brother and stuck his tongue out. “No, we are already married as far as I’m concerned. I’m going to help Minho  find Mother’s silly glass slipper and there’s nothing you can do about it!”

 

“Glass slipper?” Kibum asked.

 

Minho  wrapped his arms securely around his fiancé’s waist and turned his attention to his cousin’s bride. “Yes, do you know something about it?”

 

Kibum turned to Siwon. “Didn’t one of the guards mention something about a man with a glass slipper?”

 

Siwon thought for a moment before he nodded. “Yes, apparently there was a robber going around stealing from the lord’s homes and he had a glass slipper. He sneaked into the castle the night before we arrived and got himself captured and has been in the dungeon since. I have not seen him, but apparently he carries a glass slipper on his belt.”

 

“May we see him?” Minho  asked.

 

Siwon shook his head. “Not tonight. We have a policy of not questioning prisoners for three days. It will be three days tonight. I will let you talk to him in the morning, so stay and rest up here, alright?”

 

Minho  agreed. “Thank you, Siwon.”

 

“Why would some thief have Mother’s shoe?” Onew asked.

 

“Father said he did, he said a thief did,” Taemin answered.

 

“You saw father?”

 

“Yes, a few days back. He was well, maybe we’ll see him again,” Taemin said happily.

 

“He meant Minho, too? And he was okay with it?”

 

Minho  felt Taemin press his lips to his cheek and smiled. “Yes, your father gave us his blessing.”

 

Onew crossed his arms and glared at Minho. “Taemin’s sleeping in my room tonight.”  
  


“No, I’m sleeping in Minho’s room and you’re not going to stop me because we are going to make love in an actual bed and if you try and stop me I swear I will eat all this food right now and you won’t get any.”

 

Onew’s eyes widened and he went back to quickly eating. Minho  just laughed and offered the boy in his lap a roll.


	14. A Theif of Hearts and Shoes

**Chapter 14 – A Thief of Hearts and Shoes**

 

 

The sudden intensity of light as Minho  turned in bed awoke the Eastern prince. His eyes fluttered as he tried to fight against the bright light and eventually turned back around. Without the sudden bright morning sunlight burning into his eyes, Minho  could open them with ease as smiled at the sight he saw. The sleeping face of his fiancé was adorable, eyelashes softly caressing his cheeks and full lips partially opened as he breathed. His left cheek was squished against his pillow making one side of his face a little puffier and Minho  chuckled softly and leaned in to place a kiss against his other cheek.

 

“Minho~~” the younger prince whined softly and opened his eyes. His arms shot out and wrapped around Minho, a bare leg going around his waist as well under the sheets so he clung to Minho  tightly.

 

Minho  rustled under the sheets until his arms were around his fiancé’s naked torso, holding his clothes free body against his. “Are you awake, Taemin?”

 

The younger prince shook his head and cuddled close to Minho. “No~~, sleep, cuddle.”

 

“You still want to sleep? I don’t want to sleep, though,” Minho  said and rolled them over so he hovered above Taemin.

 

The younger prince’s limbs fell away from Minho’s body and he laid under him limp, blurry eyes looking up at him and he pouted. “Sleep.”

 

Minho  stared down at his fiancé. The boy was covered in small pink spots from their love making the night before. He had the urge to make more and leaned down to kiss Taemin’s neck, working his way down to his chest and the boy made reluctant but pleasured noises at his touches. So far, Minho  had not been the one to initiate these acts, it was usually Taemin asking to be touched, but Minho  had immediately taken Taemin to bed the previous night without the other reminded him that he wanted to and even now he felt like taking his pretty fiancé again. He was not sure whether he had finally just given up on the idea of holding himself back or if the appearance of Taemin’s overprotective older brother had brought out this side of him.

 

“Mmh, Minho…sleep,” Taemin protested. “Later~.”

 

Minho  removed his lips from their attack on Taemin’s body and leaned back up to stare at his fiancé. The boy was basically asleep and he sighed. He would have to let Taemin sleep a little longer if he even wanted a chance to continue with the previous night. He had been rougher with the younger prince than usual so as much as Minho  was energized, Taemin was probably drained. He pecked Taemin’s lips and moved out of the sheets.

 

“Sleep, I’ll be back.”

 

“Mmh, okay, night,” Taemin said and cuddled into the sheets instantly falling back asleep.

 

Minho  dressed and decided take a walk around his cousin’s castle, perhaps also see where the two fairies had gone off to. They had disappeared when Minho  and Taemin retreated to their bedroom and Minho  was grateful for that. He would not have given them time to leave as he had jumped his fiancé the moment they walked into the bedroom.

 

The castle was old, the stone beginning to crack and crumble in certain spots, but there also seemed to be new areas where they were fixing it. Minho  could remember walking these halls when he was a child with his elder cousin. They had always seemed empty and frightening, the dark gray dimly lighted areas a complete contrast to the white walls of his seaside castle on the eastern coast. The halls seemed a little brighter now, but still dreary.

 

Minho  realized he had yet to see his uncle. It was only polite to say hi to the king even if he was a relative Minho  did not favor and would most likely get a scolding for if he mentioned his fiancé being a boy seeing as the king was not pleased with Siwon’s choice of bride. His uncle was a bit of a tyrant Minho  knew the people of this kingdom were not as happy as they should have been with Choi royalty, but he knew they would once Siwon took the throne, at least he hoped so, and with his uncle’s health seeming bad, that time was not too far away.

 

Minho  walked the halls and tried to remember in which direction led to his uncle’s quarters so he could greet him, but only found himself lost. He heard footsteps and decided to take this opportunity to ask for directions believing it must be a servant. He was disheartened however to see it was his to be brother-in-law.

 

“You!” Onew yelled when their eyes met.

 

Minho’s initial reaction was to turn heel and leave, but he wanted to try and make a better impression on his fiancé’s brother and so took a deep breath and approached the older prince. “Yes, Onew, you have awoken early as well, it seems.”

 

“Of course I awoke early I have to keep an eye on my brother after all, I just can’t seem to find his room.”

 

Minho  cleared his throat. “Taemin roomed with me last night, he is still asleep at the present.”

 

Onew gave Minho  a suspicious look. “Still asleep? Well, he has always been one to sleep long.”

 

“Yes, well he his tired from the long journey here,” Minho  said.

 

“And not because you did something weird to him last night?”

 

Minho  shrugged. He felt there was no reason to hide that fact any longer seeing as Taemin had made it obvious. “That as well.”

 

“Why would you admit to something like that? My little brother, that poor little boy, and you just go and defile him every night as you like,” Onew said looking horrified. “You’re a monster.”

 

Minho did not appreciate being seen as a monster. He had always given Taemin a choice and most of the time it was Taemin coming on to him. Minho  wondered what image Onew had of his younger brother. Did he know Taemin went naked in the garden and touched himself easy for anyone to see? Minho   thought Taemin innocent, but he wasn’t _that_ innocent.

 

“Listen, I know you are my fiancé’s brother and I should respect you, but you must understand I love Taemin. He is my fiancé. I did not force him here and I do not force him to sleep with me. With your kingdom’s customs, I’m sure you would not keep your hands off the one you loved if you were given that chance.”

 

“Are you saying my kingdom has weird customs?” Onew asked and reached for his side only to realize he didn’t have a sword at the moment.

 

Minho  shook his head. “No, no, if that’s how it is then that’s how it is. However, if you had a fiancé and could not marry him yet, but was allowed to be with him, would you not take advantage of that with your kingdom’s custom?”

 

The older prince paused, a dazed look in his eyes. He straightened up and sighed. “You are right. If I was allowed to take my fiancé on my quest to find Taemin, I would have taken him with me and held him every night. Actually, I’m a bit jealous.”

 

Minho  looked and Onew curiously. “Jealous?”

 

“Yes, because Taemin ran after his fiancé and forced you to take him with you. My fiancé would not do that and I would not want him to, but it does get lonely not being able to hold him.”

 

“You have a fiancé?” Minho  asked. Taemin had not told him this.

 

Onew smiled brightly and it caught Minho  off guard. “Yes, oh, I must have forgotten to mention it to Taemin. While coming to look for him, I ran into a cursed prince and was given his hand to marry, but there was no time for an actual wedding because I needed to find Taemin.”

 

“Taemin’s perfectly fine, you know,” Minho  said. “I won’t let anything bad happen to him.”

 

Onew glared. “I still don’t trust you with him. He’s my precious brother after all.”

 

“You slept with your fiancé, didn’t you?”

 

Onew smiled again. “Of course! But that doesn’t mean I like you sleeping with my brother either. You stole my little brother’s heart, of course I’m not going to go easy on you.”

 

“Dually noted, our room is in the south wing if you still want to see him,” Minho  said and watched as his brother-in-law walked past. What a troublesome family his in-laws would be.

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

Hours later, Minho  had finally found his uncle’s quarters, but the king was resistant in allowing Minho  to see him while he was sick and so Minho  went in search of his cousin. Eventually he came upon the dinning room where Taemin, Onew, Siwon, and Kibum sat. He barely made the outline of the two fairies poking their head out of Taemin’s jacket. He greeted everyone and went to take a seat beside Taemin who was seated in front of his brother. One of the fairies came and moved under Minho’s shirt, Jonghyun, muttering something about it being to stuffy with the other fairy.

 

Minho  began to eat, occasionally sharing small chatter and food with his fiancé and glares with Onew until he was stuffed. He turned to his cousin. “Are we allowed to see that prisoner soon?”  
  


“Ah, yes I had forgotten about that. After noon, I will escort you down to the dungeon, Minho,” Siwon said.

 

“I will com, too,” Taemin said and looked at Minho  stubbornly.

 

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Taemin. What if there are other prisoners down there, more than thieves?”

 

“We do have one on trial for molestation, unfortunately,” Siwon said. “However, he is placed far into the dungeon so it should be fine to only visit the prisoner you two want to see.”

 

“I’ll come with you,” Onew offered. “No buts, I have to make sure my little brother stays safe.”

 

Minho  sighed. “Alright, hopefully this is the man we’re looking for.”

 

The afternoon went buy quickly, spent mostly walking the halls with Taemin trying to avoid his fiancé’s older brother until they were caught and he was forced into a small practice sword fight with the older prince in the gardens, the fairies happily playing with Taemin on the sidelines.

 

Finally, they put the swords down and went to sit beside Taemin, the fairies fluttering away.

 

“You know, your fairy friends don’t have to run away from me. I have seen fairies before,” Onew said.

 

Key poked his head out from under Taemin’s jacket and pointed toward the entrance of the garden. “That may be true; however I would rather not have to deal with the guards around here.”

 

Minho  looked to where he was pointing and saw his cousin and Kibum walking toward them with a few guards behind them.

 

Siwon stopped in front of Minho  and Minho  stood up. “Is there something wrong?”

 

Siwon shook his head. “No, we are going to take you to see the prisoner with the glass slipper.”

 

Taemin and Onew stood up as well. Minho  nodded. “Alright, lead the way then.”

 

They followed behind Siwon as the prince and a guard led them through the castle to the more crumbling sections of the structure. Condensation dripped from the walls and there was barely any light in the narrower halls. The guard halted them at a bar door and picked up his rings of keys, unlocking the door. They preceded through a few more doors with guards placed outside each until the reached a maze like structure.

 

“Wow, I believe I have heard of this dungeon,” Taemin said peaking out from behind Minho.

 

“Yes,” Siwon said, “our pride and joy is our maze dungeon, it makes for a difficult escape for prisoners. We blindfold them. The farther in you go, the more difficult it is to get out so the prisoners with harsher punishments. The one you are looking for is right up here, however. Stealing really is not a big offense around here, sadly, but this man stole from the richer people and they are more persistent in getting ‘justice’.”

 

Minho  looked around. They passed a few cells with empty beds, rats scurrying about in the corner. There was one cell with a man sitting in there staring at the ceiling mumbling stuff to himself and Minho  held Taemin close to him. They walked a bit farther, turning a few corners before coming to a dead end with to cells both occupied. One had a woman with ragged clothes, pretty face covered in dirt and he smiled at Minho, slowly approaching the cell doors. Taemin immediately clung to Minho’s arm and Minho  looked down, smiling at his territorial fiancé. 

 

In the other cell sat a man on a stool. His head was meant, a wide brimmed hat on his head casting a shadow that made his face appear completely black in the dimly lit dungeon. His wrists were chained to the wall behind him. A guard tapped on the cell door and the prisoner slowly lifted his head. Like the girl’s, there was a bit of dirt on it, but Minho  could tell it looked like a face from someone of the Southern area. The man glared at the guard and turned to look at them.

 

“Why is he chained up?” Taemin asked, the first to pipe up and move around Minho  getting closer to the cell. Minho  followed and wrapped an arm around his fiancé protectively, not totally trusting the prisoner.

 

The prisoner turned his head and stared at Taemin for a moment before his eyes widened a bit.

 

“It’s what we do to thieves, because if they can steal they can probably pick locks well, we assume,” Siwon explained.

 

The prisoner kept staring at Taemin and it made Minho  feel edgy. He pushed Taemin behind him a bit and cleared his throat. “Excuse me, sir, I have some questions I want to ask you.”

 

“Is this my trial? I thought you would have a fancier place for that than this?” the prisoner asked.

 

“No sir, this is not your trial. I just have questions for you. If you can help us, maybe we can help you,” Minho  explained.

 

“Sure, but let me ask a question first.”

 

Minho  looked around. He met Onew’s eyes and the older prince nodded his head.

 

“Alright, ask then.”

 

The prisoner gestured toward Taemin. “That one, you from Aurora?”

 

“Yes, I’m the second prince, this is my fiancé and my brother,” Taemin said and moved around Minho  again. He held onto the cell bars and leaned forward. Minho  kept a hand on his back.

 

“Sir, have you met a Leeteuk before?”

 

“What’s that to you?” the prisoner asked.

 

“We heard you had a glass slipper with you. We’re searching for one.”

 

“I didn’t steal it,” was the prisoner’s response.  
  
“I did not say you did, I simply want to know if it’s the one we are searching for.”

 

“I wouldn’t know that, have a look for yourself, they took it from me,” the prisoner said.

 

Minho  turned to his cousin. “Where’s the shoe?”

 

Siwon gestured to one of the guards and he disappeared only to reappear with a bag of items. He began pulling them out – a sleek strong but old bow, a quiver of arrows, money, and a small black bag hooked to a belt. Minho  walked over to the items and picked up the belt. He opened the black bag and pulled out the glass slipper. He showed it to Taemin.

 

“That’s Mother’s slipper,” Taemin said and turned to the man. “Why do you have that shoe?”

 

The prisoner glared at Taemin. “It’s mine, I was given it.”

 

“Who gave it to you?” Minho  asked.

 

The prisoner didn’t answer. “I did not steal it, it’s mine.”

 

Minho  shook his head. “Yes, but the owner of this slipper wants it back.”

 

The prisoner looked at Minho, face blank. “He wants it back?”

 

Minho  nodded. “Yes, so we have to take it.”

 

“No.”

 

Minho  was surprised by the straight out defiance. He felt like perhaps he should not take the shoe, but he needed it if Heechul was to allow him and Taemin to marry. He shook his head and took the black silk bag the slipper was in and hooked it to his own belt.

 

“I’m sorry, but this is what I came here to retrieve, please understand.”

 

The prisoner started the rattle his wrists against the cage. “No, it’s mine. If he wants it back tell him to bring it himself. His child would not do this!”

 

Minho  started walking back. He felt a tug on his arm and looked down at Taemin.

 

“Perhaps we shouldn’t take the slipper, Minho.”  
  


Minho  turned his head and looked into the cell. The prisoner was shaking the chains and yelling, the guards yelling back at him. He looked down at Taemin.

 

“I know, but this is what your Mother wanted.”

 

Once they were out of the cell, Minho  turned to his cousin. “Siwon, do you know the prisoner’s name?”

 

“Hangeng, I believe.”

 

“I wonder why he had the shoe in the first place.”


	15. Chasing and Saving in the Swamps

**Chapter 15 – Chasing and Saving in the Swamps**

 

Siwon insisted they stay another night in the castle as their provisions were restocked by some of the servants. Minho  could not argue that they could get the provisions themselves and needed to be quickly on their way when he suddenly felt Taemin’s hand patting his crotch and spent another night ravishing his fiancé in a large plush bed ignoring the fact Onew continued to give him angry glares. The younger prince seemed bent on defying his older brother even more after learning Onew had a fiancé of his own waiting, one he had partaken of already as well.

 

Their bodies moved fast and needily against each other for over an hour until they had both past out, the younger tucked in Minho’s arms. It was a slight cold breeze that awoke Minho  from his deep post sex slumber. He shivered and his eyes slowly opened. He looked around the room, lighted by only the moonlight through the curtained windows. However, there were no curtains, or at least they had been pushed back for the room was much brighter than Minho  remembered it as well as the window was opened. The sudden breeze must have come from there and Minho  wondered if they had forgotten to shut it or if it had swung open during the night.

 

Minho  swung his legs off the side of the bed and pulled pants over them before he headed toward the window. He took a careful peek out and noticed a few guards running a bit frantically below before passing by. The prince frowned and shut and locked the window. Something was wrong. He started to turn, but paused. There was something wrong in the room as well.

 

He moved with slow sleepy steps, acting as if he had not noticed, back to the bed. He slipped under the covers and moved his hand under his pillow. His hand wrapped around the hilt of a dagger and he kept it there, closing his eyes and listening carefully. There it was, the small sound of someone walking about the room. They were quiet, or at least would have been if it was not for the small tings of metal against metal. He heard them mumble something and then their steps approached the bed.

 

If it had been a thief, Minho  planned to stay quiet until they left. Money and food could all be restored while they were here and any jewels or emblems they still wore on their person. As long as the thief did not come close to them, Minho  found no reason to approach them. However, less the trespasser be a murderer or someone after the body of his fiancé, Minho  was prepared to pull the dagger out.

 

The trespasser’s footsteps got closer to the bed. Minho  relaxed himself, but his hand held tighter to the dagger. He could feel them on Taemin’s side of the bed and began to pray that he would be able to get to the trespasser before he touched his still sleeping fiancé. The trespasser moved as did Minho. Taemin screamed.

 

“Unhand him!” Minho  yelled pointing the dagger at the trespasser.

 

The trespasser held a Taemin in his arms, one hand over his mouth and the other wrapped in the fold of the blanket at Taemin’s stomach. He slowly lifted his head and Minho’s hold on the dagger loosened a bit.

 

“Hangeng?”

 

The thief from the dungeons shook Taemin, the chains on his wrists visible, seeming to have been cut straight through.

 

“How did you escape?”

 

“Does not matter, tell me where the shoe is or I will gut the boy,” Hangeng said and pressed his hand on Taemin’s stomach a bit harder.

 

“Let me go,” Taemin said only to be shook again.

 

“Why do you want the shoe so bad?”

 

“There’s no time to ask things like that. Where is it? I could have killed this boy already.”

 

Minho’s eyes traveled down to where his weapons and the glass slipper were hidden under the bed. He licked his lips planning to tell the thief. Taemin’s life was worth more than that glass slipper to him. If he found it once he would just have to find it again, but before he could say so, Taemin spoke.

 

“You won’t kill me.”

 

Minho  was surprised by Taemin’s words. He hoped he would not provoke the thief anymore.

 

“What makes you say that? I have a dagger against your stomach, I could kill you before your fiancé ever does.”

 

Taemin shook his head. “No, it’s because I look like him. You could not possibly kill his child.”

 

Minho  moved his dagger closer to the man. “Let go of him.”

 

Hangeng simply pulled Taemin farther to the edge of the large bed. Minho  noticed Taemin’s hand, previously lying limply to his side, grab at something shiny fallen between the folds of the sheets.

 

“Whose child you are does not matter to me. I just want the shoe.”

 

“No, you can not have the shoe any longer, I have to get married,” Taemin said.

 

Minho really could not understand what was going through his fiancé’s head right then. Was he trying to be brave or was he just this innocent to continue to speak so confidently to someone who could kill him in a second if Minho  was not fast enough.

 

“If you keep talking, you will not live to see your wedding day,” the thief said and shook him again.

 

Taemin lowered his head, expression being covered by the darkness of the room. When he lifted his head again, his face visible with the moonlight, Minho’s breath caught. He had never seen Taemin like this, expression hard and fierce and oddly Minho  was very much attracted to his fiancé right then.

 

“You are a bad liar,” Taemin said. “You dropped your knife didn’t you?”

 

The thief’s eyes widened and he slowly removed his hand from its hidden place between the folds of the blanket on Taemin’s stomach. It came out empty, but almost immediately shot out toward Minho’s dagger. Minho  dropped the knife in surprise, reaching out instead for Taemin. If the thief got a hold of his dagger Minho  would rather be stabbed than have Taemin killed. However, Taemin seemed to have his own plans as his hand slashed out.

 

Hangeng immediately shot off the bed and fell to the floor holding one side of his face. Minho  looked from Taemin to the thief. His fiancé held up the thief’s dagger, dark liquid dripping down the tip of it and onto the blankets. Looking back at the thief, Minho  saw a long line across his cheek where the knife cut him. Before Minho  could fit the pieces together, the thief moved. Minho  immediately went to take Taemin protectively in his arms, but instead of coming at the boy, Hangeng went under the bed. Minho  could hear footsteps right as the thief remerged and leapt toward the window, the velvet bag with the shoe in it clasped in his hand.

 

A few second later, the door to their bedroom was thrown open. Siwon, Kibum, Onew, and a few guards stormed in. They looked around, Onew’s eyes immediately landing on them on the bed.

 

“Blood!” Onew gasped and went over staring at the blood on the sheets. “Whose blood is this? Is my brother hurt, did you let my brother get hurt?”

 

The surprised face Taemin had kept since slashing the thief immediately changed once his brother appeared. He lowered the knife he still held and pushed it toward Onew.

 

“Calm down brother, it is not my blood.”

 

Siwon approached the bed, Kibum standing behind him. “What happened here, Minho?”  
  


“The thief got loose. He wanted the shoe back but couldn’t find it and tried to use Taemin as a way to get me to tell him where it was.”

 

“Why does Taemin have a bloody knife?”

 

Minho’s attention was caught for a moment as he saw the two fairies flutter into the room and settle discreetly in a corner obviously awoke from wherever they had been sleeping by all the commotion. The witch fairy’s eyes landed on the blood as well and he seemed almost ready to go to the younger prince if it was not for Jonghyun insisting he stay still until the guards left.

 

“The thief was bluffing, his hand that should have had a knife was empty.”

 

Taemin nodded. “I knew someone was in here, too, I pretended to be asleep. I knew they would get me because I’m smaller. I screamed and I suppose he was started and dropped the knife. I could tell he wasn’t pressing a knife to my stomach and I saw it on the blanket so I made him move off me then slashed him before he could go for Minho’s knife, but he still ran off.”

 

Minho  did not know what to say hearing that Taemin had known since he did about the thief being in the room. He just held Taemin closer. He wanted to reprimand him for trying to act like a hero, but he also wanted to compliment him for being brave.

 

“Taemin, you can’t just go slashing people with knives,” Onew said. “And if he took the shoe, how are you two supposed to get married? We have to go after him right now.” The older prince turned to Siwon. “Please help us get the horses ready and ask which way that thief was last seen headed.”

 

Siwon nodded and gave instructions to the guards before leading Kibum and himself out.

 

Minho turned to Onew. “You are coming with us?”

 

“Of course, it’s my mother’s shoe and my brother’s wedding on the line here. Plus, I can’t have you ravaging my brother on the road, so let’s get ready.”

 

“Hey, wait, do you know how he escaped? His cuffs were cut clear off.”

 

Onew frowned. “It seems your cousin’s country is not big on magic. There was a witch opposite of the thief, she helped him. She’s gone, too.”

 

Minho  nodded and waited until Onew had left before embracing Taemin and kissed him hard. “You scared me, but I love you so much, Taemin.”

 

The younger prince just smiled and held Minho  back. “I can do things, too, but I  don’t mind being protected by you. Let’s go get the shoe back so we can marry.”

 

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

It was as the sun began to rise that Minho  noticed the changed of scenery. The semi tropical area they had been traveling through for weeks started looking dead and foggy. It had been two days since they left Siwon’s castle in chase of the thief. The guards had told them they had seen him headed south and would send their own troops in different directions just to make sure. They had found a small village the previous day and stopped only for a couple hours in a hurry to catch up with Hangeng. The villagers mentioned a man with bows and arrows and a velvet bag hanging from his belt. Also, the blacksmith had said he had helped removed the chains from a certain person’s wrists after Minho  had assured him they wanted nothing more than something he had stolen and it was not money.

 

Taemin was asleep in Minho’s arms much to Onew’s dislike. Minho  had been unsure on how traveling with his fiancé’s brother would be, but the older man seemed much cheerier now that he had gotten use to the fact Minho  and Taemin were together, but that was probably more to the fact they had not done more than kiss since leaving the castle. Minho  had a feeling that even in the pursuit of the thief, Taemin’s needs would still need to be met, and the boy would most likely begin to demand to be touched whether his brother threatened Minho’s life or not within the next couple of days. He would rather not have to give in while lying under the stars, Onew sleeping only a few yards away.

 

Then again, perhaps Onew’s attention was just being diverted from Minho  by the two fairies who had taken to sleeping in his clothes and riding on his horse than Minho  and Taemin. If that was the case, then Minho  was grateful to them even if he did sort of miss the small almost foot long occasional warmth against his skin.    

 

Minho  noticed the horses begin to slow down and looked around him. The air was thick with fog and Minho’s nose crinkled at the faint smell of something bad. He turned to Onew riding his own horse close by. “Onew, you have a map, is this the right way?”

 

The older prince moved to the satchel on his horse and pulled out a rolled up piece of hide. He stretched it out and began to study it, the two fairies seated on each of his shoulders looking at it as well.

 

“It says we are. We are going slight west before heading south because there’s a huge mountain range. There is a marking for a swampy area, I suppose we have reached it.”

 

“Is there anyway around the swamp?” Minho asked.

 

“No, it is a bunch of marsh and swamp, just keep to the less wet areas and be careful where you step the horses. It might be better to walk on foot because the fogs still so thick, or to wait for the sun to melt some of it.”

 

Minho  nodded thinking.

 

“I can help,” Key piped up and pulled out his scepter. “I can just cast a spell on the horses so they won’t step on anything too deep.”

 

Minho  nodded his head. “Please do.”

 

The fairy witch fluttered about the three horses, waving his scepter at their hoofs. They made soft noises of annoyance, but other than that, did not fight. There were dim sparkles around their hoofs indicating the magic. Minho  nodded satisfied and poked Taemin’s cheek.

 

“Taemin, wake up, you should be awake for this please.”

 

The younger prince’s eyes slowly opened. He smiled sweetly up at Minho  then his nose crinkled and he sat up to look around. “Ew, a marsh. I don’t want to go by a swamp.”

 

 “Taemin, we have to,” Onew said.

 

The younger prince sighed before settling back against Minho’s chest. “Fine, let’s go.”

 

Minho  tapped his heels against his horse’s flank and they began to move again. He looked around curiously trying to see through the thick fog. It irked him, the dim lighting in the marsh as well as the bad smell that got stronger the farther they went. They would have to travel through this all day until late into the night according to Onew’s map.

 

A few hours later, Minho  stopped to dish out bread rations and torn clothes. The stink of the swamps was beginning to become overbearing to their royal noses, and Taemin was complaining even less use to bad smells in nature than the older princes. He wrapped one snuggly around Taemin’s face and they started again only to stop a few minutes later hearing someone cry out.

 

“Help!”

 

Minho  turned to Onew alarmed. “Did you hear that?”

 

“Help!” it came again.

 

Onew nodded and looked around trying to see through the fog. Key tapped Jonghyun’s head with his scepter.

 

“Jonghyun can go see where it is. The fog’s made my wings damp so I can’t fly, but his wings are different from mine, let’s send him out.”

 

Minho  nodded. “Will you go see what’s wrong. You are smaller than us so could get away quicker if it is a trap.”

 

Jonghyun nodded and headed out. Minho slowly led them farther into the swamp area, the call for help getting louder. He stopped again when he heard a growl followed by Jonghyun zooming back and clinging to Key, body shaking.

 

“What was it?” Minho asked. “Was it a trap?”

 

The fairy prince shook his head. “No, it was a prince, a pretty one. I had to come back before I attacked him.”

 

“Oh, was he alright?” Onew asked having been informed in a previous conversation with the fairies of their story.

 

Jonghyun slowly removed himself from Key and straightened out. “No.”

 

“Don’t just say no, tell us what was wrong?” Key urged.

 

“Well, he was hanging from a branch in a pile of swampy water…I think it was quicksand, something like that.”

 

Minho’s eyes widened. “Lead us to him, we can’t just let him be swallowed up like that.”

 

Jonghyun nodded and sat on Minho’s shoulder as they hurried, pointing out the directions. Key waved his scepter when they came to the edge of the water clearing some of the fog so they could get a better look. A thin framed young man hung  from a low branch on the side of the water where fighting against a pull inside. He was covered in muck, but Minho  could still make out some of his royal looking garb.

 

“Help!’ he cried out. “Please help me, I don’t want to die like this.”

 

It was a difficult situation and any plan he could think up could possibly lead to more people getting stuck. Luckily, they had a witch. “Key, is there something you can do to help.”

 

“You guys rely on my magic too much, but yes there is. I will need Taemin though, I need some one light to climb the tree but I’m too small. I promise he will not fall in.”

 

Minho  looked down at Taemin. “Do you want to help.”  
  


“Of course I do,” Taemin said and climbed off the horse.

 

Minho  watched as the fairy led his fiancé around the water to the tree the stranded prince was hanging from. He tried to hold himself back as he watched him climb up the tree, slipping a couple times, and onto the branch. Key conjured up a couple ropes and had Taemin wrap one around himself. Minho  could not hear from his distance, but he knew Taemin was saying something to ease the other prince’s fears and helped to pull him up, stronger with the help of Key’s magic.

 

Finally, Taemin led the helpless prince back to them. On a closer look, he really did not look like much of a prince or even royalty. He had scrapes on his arms and legs and his hair was a mess. His clothes were princely, but also tattered and patched up. Perhaps they were a costume and he was a stranded actor lost from his traveling crew.

 

“Are you alright?” Onew asked the ‘prince’.

 

“Thank you for saving me,” the ‘prince’ said than sighed. “My clothes are ruined though. They were my best ones, too.”

 

“Who are you?” Minho  asked getting down from his horse.

 

“I am Ryeowook, prince of a kingdom just before the swamps to the west. Well, it is not much of a kingdom anymore, just a small village with a small castle. We have lost many of our riches because of the fight for magic rights. We had quite a few witches in our kingdom before, but they are all gone, dead or bought off us and with them went our money.”  
  


“What are you doing in the swamp?” Taemin asked taking a napkin and wiping at the prince’s cheeks and arms in a feeble attempt to clean him.

 

“There is a prince of the marsh to the south of here. He has a large kingdom and his mother has been looking for a bride for him for years. I was finally able to get my parents to allow me to attend one of her many balls in which she searches for a bride suitable for him. There are not many kingdoms around this area, but many villages and so rich girls go pretending to be princesses and a few princes attend as well. I want to save my family, we will be poor soon, so I intend to win the queens favor and marry the prince.”

 

Minho  nodded. “I am to guess you have never traveled before then? You got lost and fell into the swamp?”

 

Ryeowook nodded. “Yes, I fell and now my good clothes are ruined and I don’t even slightly resemble a prince.”

 

“Minho, let’s help him,” Taemin said.  
  
“What about the shoe?” Minho  asked.

 

Onew pulled out his map. “The kingdom he is talking about is on our way. We can stop there and ask about the thief and also help to get Ryeowook to see his prince.”

 

The poor prince suddenly began to weep. “No, I rather just go home. I could not possibly meet the prince looking like this. I would disgrace my family.”

 

Taemin suddenly took the prince’s face between his hands. “No, we will help you! We have already helped a couple people find their true love, so we should help you, too. I will buy you clothes.”

 

“You…you will?” Ryeowook asked. “I lost my money as well as my gifts.”

 

“We will help you,” Taemin said and looked to his brother and Minho.

 

Minho  really could not find a reason to disagree and nodded. The two fairies nodded as well as Onew.

 

“If you want to help him, we will help him, Taemin,” Minho  said and pulled his fiancé back onto the horse with him.

 

Onew helped the other prince up on his own horse after wrapping him in a clothe. “Let’s quickly get out of here.”


	16. Turtles and Peas

**Chapter 16 – Turtles and Peas**

 

 

The next morning found Minho  and the others to the gate of what looked to be a large kingdom built upon the only stable area of land they had seen so far in the marsh, a giant tilted moat built around it, the angle a way to keep the land on which the kingdom was built to keep from eroding with the movement of the thick water. Minho  and Onew slowed the horses as they approached the door to the kingdom, keeping wary of the crocodiles and other potentially deadly reptiles he saw swimming in the moat. With a knock on the door, they were allowed in. Key and Jonghyun flew out, seemingly unnerved at being seen in this kingdom.

 

“You two are okay being out?” Minho  asked as the two fairies fluttered about.

 

“Of course. There are other fairies here, we like the areas just outside marshes and swamps, we just don’t like being inside them,” Key explained and sure enough, Minho  caught sight of a few fairies flying over head and some at the stall helping to sell goods in the morning market they found themselves a part of as they rode their horses through.

 

“We should by Ryeowook something to wear,” Taemin said, reminding Minho  of the reason they had stopped by the kingdom in the first place.

 

“Right,” Minho  said and turned to Onew. “Is he awake.”

 

The older prince shook the prince that was fast asleep on his chest, still dirtied in crusted swamp mud. Ryeowook opened his eyes and immediately sat up looking around. “Oh, are we here already?”

 

“Yes and we’re going to buy clothes,” Taemin said happily smiling at the other prince.

 

Minho  reached a hand up and petted his fiancé’s hair amused by his excitement to dress up the other prince. “Should we all buy something new then? We can buy something to wear for when we return to your castle.”

 

Taemin turned and looked at Minho and nodded. “Yes, lets all buy party clothes then.”

 

The two fairies surveyed the stalls further up, reporting back with interesting observations, or more so, Key telling them nothing so far looked good enough for Ryeowook to wear to impress the prince. Finally, the witch fairy urged them to park their horses before an indoor market. Onew offered to stay and guard their luggage and feed and water the horses with the beast fairy and so the other four left to search farther, time already close to noon.

 

“What about this?” Taemin asked and held up an indigo blue robe with a pattern of stars on it.

 

The witch fairy shook his head. “No, no, that’s too much. Our Ryeowook is cute, we need the prince to see that, not overshadow his good looks. We need him to stand out, and by not being overdone like the other princes and princesses, he will.”

 

Taemin nodded seeming impressed by the fairies words while Minho  followed behind them confused and Ryeowook stayed close, having been yelled at many times already for attempting to touch fabrics with his still dirty hands.

 

“We’ll have to find somewhere to get you cleaned up, Ryeowook,” Minho  said feeling sorry for the unfortunate prince.

 

“That would be nice,” the prince agreed.

 

“Yes, this one is perfect!” Key exclaimed a few stalls ahead.

 

Taemin pattered over and pulled out a cream colored ensemble of jackets and a pair of breeches

 

“This is perfect. The light cream color will stand out against all the other more vibrant colors other people will be wearing to try and stand out as well as the simple but eloquent pattern. The prince will definitely pay attention to you,” the fairy witch said.

 

Taemin turned to the prince and smiled. “See, you will definitely be able to save your kingdom.”

 

They shopped around for another hour, picking clothes for the others to look presentable upon entering the castle and went back to Onew and the other fairy then set out for the castle.

 

“Please allow us entry,” Minho  said when they reached the doors of the castle.

 

“And who is it that asks for entry? I have been given no orders to allow such a group inside,” the guard said.

 

“I am Prince Choi Minho of the East,” Minho  introduced and then gestured to Taemin and Onew. “These are the princes of the Northern kingdom of Aurora, Princes Lee Onew and Taemin; our two fairy companions, and the other one is a new friend, Prince Ryeowook of a small kingdom to the west of the marshes and swamps.”

 

The guard laughed. “I can believe you three being princes, but the one riding with the luggage looks nothing like a prince.”

 

“But I am. I have proof,” Ryeowook said and began pulling at his clothes bringing out a small crest covered in mud.

 

The guard looked at it and hummed. “I still do not believe you.”

 

“He only appears like this because he had an unfortunate run in with bandits in the swamps. We will take responsibility for him,” Minho  said.

 

“Alright, whether he be a prince or one of your servants matters not to me as long as you three are princes. Go ahead in, a ball we be held later tonight so you have arrived just in time.”

 

Minho  nodded and led them inside where servants scurried to take their horses and luggage. One tried to lead Ryeowook away, going on about something to do with servants being needed somewhere else in the castle. Minho  quickly took his arm and corrected them.

 

“Oh, then you need to check in with the queen and the prince first. They are setting up for the ball and will need to count you,” the servant said.

   

They were led through the castle to a throne room where a lady sat bored on a large throne, a young man to here side in a fancy looking chair. The lady sat up upon seeing them enter and smoothed down her skirts.

 

“Oh, more guests, what may I do for you?”

 

Onew approached this time, bowing to the lady they supposed was the queen. “Hello your majesty. We are princes on a quest and have come to ask for housing. Also, we hear you are holding a party to find your prince a bride.”

 

“Are you interested then, in becoming my sons-in-laws?” the queen asked coming down from her thrown. She reached out and held Onew’s face in her hands studying it. “You have a good face, all of you do. Do the three of you wish to join then?”

 

“No, only the one,” Minho  said indicating Ryeowook.

 

“Oh, and who is this? He definitely can not be a prince.”

 

Ryeowook bowed quickly and stammered. “I-I am a prince. My kingdom is very small, but I do still carry royal blood. Please allow me to join the party, I will clean up and appear better before you.”

 

The queen studied him then looked at her son. Minho’s attention went to the young man on the chair as well. He was not extremely handsome but pleasant to look at. However, he seemed odd, looking off into the distance and petting a large turtle in his lap. The queen turned back to them.

 

“And you three wish not to participate?” she asked.

 

Minho  moved and wrapped an arm around Taemin’s waist. “This is my fiancé, I do not wish to find another.”

 

“And you?” she asked Onew.

 

The older prince stood and rubbed the back of his head nervously. “Well, I have a fiancé as well. I could not part with a marriage to him.”

 

The queen glanced over them once more before she headed back to her throne. “It is unfortunate that I have no room left for another candidate in this party. You see, I give my son’s suitors a test so that I may know if they are truly a prince or princess. There are many rich families, but not many royal ones in this area nor ones willing to travel through the marshes. If one candidate steps down, I will allow that prince to join, however, please feel free to join the partying. And, of course, I will allow you rooms to stay for the night.”

 

Minho  bowed. “Thank you for your hospitality, we will take our leave now.”

 

“I will have servants escort you to a room.”

 

The fallowed the servants into the halls before speaking.

 

“I’m sorry Ryeowook,” Taemin said reaching out a hand for the other prince.

 

“Don’t be too sad,” Key said fluttering next to Ryeowook, “I did not think that prince too special. He seemed very disinterested and he was petting a turtle. Who has pet turtles?”

 

“I…I thought it was cute,” Ryeowook said, head tilted down and pink on his cheeks.

 

Minho  looked at him curiously. “Ryeowook…what did you think of the prince?”

 

Ryeowook raised his head and looked at Minho  with wide glittering but sad eyes. “I think I love him.”

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

They devised a plan. They would attend the party as simply guests and see if any of the ‘princes’ or ‘princesses’ would be willing to trade places with Ryeowook as they were sure at least one of them had not come of their own will or did not find interest in the prince upon seeing him. Minho  would have asked to leave it as was if Ryeowook had not said he had fallen in love with the strange prince. With Taemin by his own side, he could not help but want to aid in helping the unfortunate prince be with his own true love if this prince so was it.

 

Taemin and Key went with Ryeowook to clean up leaving Minho, Onew, and Jonghyun together in the sitting room that connected to the bedrooms they had been given. They had already dressed wearing rich material cut in the fashion of the kingdom, the fairies having found clothes cut for their size, and waited for the reveal of the cleaned up Ryeowook.

 

Key fluttered out of the bathroom first, twirling around in the air in excitement. “Just wait until you see. Taemin, bring him out.”

 

Taemin stepped into the living room, pulling the hand of Ryeowook who seemed reluctant. “Come along, you look fine.”

 

Ryeowook allowed himself to be pulled out into the living room. He stood before them in the new cream colored outfit, hair washed and a dark red-brown color, cut neatly. Without all the tried muck on his skin and hair, Ryeowook was not bad looking, small sharp face and expressive eyes.

 

“You really do clean up well, shall we go then?” Minho  asked, going over to wrap an arm around Taemin’s waist and led them to the ballroom where the party was held.

 

The ballroom was filled with girls in large gowns with lots of flowers and jewels sewn on and young men in vibrantly colored suits with loud designs embroidered on them. Many of them stared at them as they made their way through. It seemed they were the only young people in the ballroom not dressed to impress. Minho  kept a firm hand on Taemin’s back finding even more curious looks directed at his fiancé.

 

“Taemin, why are you wearing a ball gown?”

 

The younger prince seemed a bit more self conscious about his choice of dress now as well, wearing a light blue simple ball gown. “Well, I didn’t really think that it would matter. I guess dress depends on gender here though. Does it not look good on me?”

 

Minho  leaned down and pecked his fiancé’s cheek. “You look beautiful. Wear what you want, Taemin.”

 

Taemin smiled up at him and leaned up, pecking Minho  back before whispering in his ear. “Dresses also have easier access. You just lift the skirt.”

 

Minho  chuckled and whispered back, “Then I’ll have to steal you away later and test that theory.”

 

“Yah! What are you two whispering about?” Onew asked.

 

Taemin put his finger to his lips and winked at Minho  before talking to his brother. Minho  took the chance to look around. The fairies were already fluttering about with other fairies that came to join in the festivities. Ryeowook stood beside them staring somewhere into the crowd and onto the dance floor where a group was already dancing. Minho  watched as noticed the prince of the kingdom dancing with a maiden. His face seemed bored and he kept his eyes away from hers at all times even as her lips moved, speaking something about this or that. The prince’s eyes moved past Minho’s before widening. He continued to dance, but continued to move his head so he could still see the direction that had caught his attention. Minho  smiled and looked at Ryeowook. The prince was blushing, shyly staring back.

 

“He is looking at you,” Minho  said.

 

“No, of course he is not. He is probably just looking at the food. We are standing in front of the buffet table after all.”

 

Minho  shook his head and reached out for Taemin, pulling his fiancé to him and joined the talk. The dance music stopped. Minho  did not pay attention though, until murmuring grew around him and he heard a voice close beside him.

 

“Are you having fun?” the prince asked standing before Ryeowook.

 

Ryeowook nodded his head. The prince turned to Minho. “Excuse me, but may I barrow your friend for a while? I would like to get some fresh air. He seems like he could use some as well.”

 

“Of course prince…”

 

“Yesung, Prince Yesung.”

 

“Prince Yesung, of course, please take our Ryeowook out for some air,” Minho  said smiling. Ryeowook looked terrified when his hand was suddenly taken and he was led away.

 

Taemin laughed beside him. “Key was right, he really does stand out in that outfit.”

 

Minho agreed and kissed Taemin lightly.

 

“Oh,” came Onew’s soft exclamation.

 

Minho  turned his attention to his brother-in-law to see him staring into the crowd of dancers. “Something wrong?”

 

“Seunghyun.”

 

“Who?”

 

“My fiancé. What is he doing here? Come I will introduce you.”

 

They followed Onew and reached the dance floor just as the participants lined up to start a new dance. The older prince tapped the shoulder of one of the young men, one wearing a soft yellow suit. He turned and his face lit up.

 

“Onew!” the young man said and immediately wrapped his arms around the older prince’s neck. Minho  excused the man from his dance partner and allowed Onew to drag them back to the table, holding the stranger tightly.

 

“Seunghyun, Seunghyun, I’ve missed you so much,” Onew said and kissed the stranger fiercely in which the other did not fight back.

 

Minho  cleared his throat to get them to stop, not use to seeing the older prince who usually yelled at him for even kissing Taemin being so affectionate with someone else. Onew turned to them, blushing a bit in embarrassment. “Right, um, Taemin, Minho, this is my fiancé, Seunghyun. Seunghyun, this is my little brother and the man that kidnapped him.”

 

“I didn’t kidnap him, we’re fiancés, too,” Minho  said glaring at Onew before smiling at Seunghyun.

 

“Oh, your brother is adorable, but why is he wearing a dress?” Seunghyun asked.

 

“It’s a custom from our kingdom,” Taemin explained.

 

“Yes, oh, but why are you here, Seunghyun?”

 

The young man sighed. “It was horrible. My uncle brainwashed my parents into sending me here. He was going to have the prince pick me then reveal that I had already slept with you to shame my family.”

 

“Wait, so you are a participant?” Onew asked.

 

Seunghyun nodded. “I am, but I do not want to be. I still love you, Onew.”

 

Onew hugged his fiancé tight. Minho  looked between them for a moment before a thought hit him. “We can switch Seunghyun out with Ryeowook.”

 

“Ryeowook?” Seunghyun asked.

 

“Yes, he is a poor prince we met that fell in love with the prince here, but the queen said all the spots were filled for this ball.”

 

“Is he a real prince? I have been talking to the other candidates and I can say for certain that half of them are frauds, some even using my own kingdom as theirs. I might have been the only real prince,” Seunghyun explained.

 

“Then Ryeowook has a good chance. He is with the prince right now talking, let’s go tell him.”

 

 They found Ryeowook and Prince Yesung sitting out on a balcony, the prince’s hand awkwardly placed on Ryeowook’s between them as they stared up at the night sky talking.

 

“Ryeowook, we have something to tell you,” Taemin called and ran up to them.

 

The prince, surprised, pulled his hand away from Ryeowook’s and stood up. He excused himself and left.

 

“He didn’t have to leave,” Taemin commented before turning to Ryeowook. “Anyways, you can join now.”  
  


“I can join?” Ryeowook asked.

 

“Yes, you can have my spot,” Seunghyun said stepping forward. “I am Onew’s fiancés, I got pressured into coming here although I have already been promised to another.”

 

Ryeowook stood up excitedly. “Thank you. Prince Yesung is really interesting, and I really do believe I have fallen in love with him. I think he might like me, too.”

 

Before anything more could be discussed, a horn was blown and everyone was called to assemble. Two fancy chairs were set up on one wall with the queen and the prince seated in both. The queen stood.

 

“Will the participants please step forward,” the queen said and twenty young men and women stepped forward. A guard began calling out their names.

 

“Song Seunghyun…is there a Song Seunghyun?”

 

Seunghyun stepped forward with Ryeowook and bowed. “Please for give me your majesty. I must step down from my place, I was forced here when I already have a fiancé, however, and this young prince would like to step in, please give him the chance as you promised you would if a space opened.”

 

The queen looked at Ryeowook and her eyes widened in surprise. “Well, do my eyes deceive me, or do you only look like a prince now. Alright, so be it. I, Queen Juri, am still sure that none of you will pass this test, only the purist of royalty could. Are you all tired tonight? Would you like to rest now? Or you may choose to stay up and party longer. Depending on the sort of sleep you get will determine if you are eligible to be my son’s wife. Now if you will excuse me, the queen shall retire.”

 

The queen stood and left the ballroom. The prince stood as well, heading back to the balcony and Ryeowook excused himself. Minho  watched after them.

 

“A test that has to do with sleep, what kind of test could that be to determine if one is real royalty or not?” Minho  mused, but was pulled away to the dance floor by his fiancé and anymore thought on it left him.

 


	17. A Rowdy Night

**Chapter 17 – A Rowdy Night**

 

 

It was late into the night when Taemin finally got tired of dancing in the ball room and he pulled Minho out of the room, a finger to his lips, giggling. Minho  laughed as he followed his fiancé out of the ballroom, looking back to see what Taemin was being wary of. He spotted Onew close to the entrance flirting with his own fiancé and figured that was what Taemin was trying to avoid, being stopped by his brother. Minho  could imagine what Taemin wanted if he was worried about that and felt his heart begin to speed up in excitement and he crouched down so he would not tower over most of the crowd.

 

“On three we make a run for it, okay Minho?” Taemin said flush against the opposite wall of the entrance.

 

Minho  nodded and held tight to Taemin’s hand not really bothering with Onew. Taemin’s brother seemed plenty occupied with his own fiancé. The younger prince held up one finger and began to mouth the count down, adding a finger each time until there was three. Minho held Taemin’s hand tighter and rushed past the entrance, catching a surprised glance from Onew as they did so. The older prince yelled something as they ran, but Minho  ignored it and let Taemin take the lead when they had cleared the first hall, pulling him down another hall until their laughing and running made them stop for breath.

 

“He saw us. He won’t come, right?” Taemin asked, cheeks red from the excitement and he leaned against the wall.

 

Minho  moved toward him and placed his hands on both sides of Taemin’s head and leaned in. “I don’t think so. He has just been reunited with his fiancé after all.”

 

Taemin’s hands moved up and tugged on Minho’s jacket, pulling him the rest of the way down so their lips met. Minho kissed Taemin hard and urgently. He had not realized it, but he had grown accustomed to feeling the other hot skin beneath his and wanted to release just as much as Taemin. He pulled away when Taemin started to whine, clinging to him.

 

“Minho~,” his fiancé whined, eyes hazy and filled with need as he looked up at Minho.

 

“Let’s go to our room,” Minho  suggested and tugged Taemin’s hand, leading them back. The younger prince clung to his arm as they moved, nuzzling his shoulder every now and then and whispering words of what he wanted Minho to do to him once they were alone and in bed.

 

Minho  was already straining just from his fiancé’s words as they made it to their bedroom for the night. He shut and locked the door behind them before lifting Taemin up in his puffy light blue dress and setting on the bed. He stood in front of the younger prince and pulled his jacket and shirt off leaving his bare chest revealed. Taemin smiled and reached out with a glove covered hand, tracing the lines of Minho’s abs. The soft silky material grazing against his heated skin made Minho shudder and he took Taemin’s hand in his and slipped the glove off. He pulled his fiancé up to stand and placed a kiss on the top of his hand, being reward a smile in return for the small act of affection. Minho  smiled back and twirled Taemin around so he could see the back of the blue dress and began to undo the ribbon that fastened the dress. He pushed the top of the dress down, short puffy sleeves rolling off Taemin’s shoulders. Minho ran a hand along his fiancé’s back, watching as the younger prince shivered and whined softly at the touch before he pushed him forward on the bed.

 

Taemin turned his head, looking at him a bit surprised, but the fluttering of his eyelashes told Minho he did not really mind the sudden rough treatment. Minho  gathered up the fluffy blue material of the skirt and lifted it until his fiancé’s bear bottom was exposed over the edge of the bed. Taemin shifted and looked back at Minho smiling a bit.

 

“I told you it was easier access,” Taemin said, voice low, heavy with need.

 

Minho  moaned in agreement and moved his hands to grab at Taemin’s smooth rounded bottom, kneading the flesh at Taemin moaned. He looked around the room, spotting a bottle of scented oil on the dresser and grabbed it. He coated his fingers in the slippery liquid and pulled Taemin’s legs apart, slipping a finger in and then another, beginning to stretch him. His fiancé just laid patiently on the bed, arms crossed under his head acting as a pillow, humming when the stretching began to feel good and lightly humped the bed edges to get some friction as he waited. Minho  wanted to laugh at the sight, but all that escaped was a moan, and after he finished with a third finger, he pulled them out and pulled his breeches down, pushing himself inside.

 

Taemin gasped and arched his back as Minho  entered him. His hands reached out in front of him and grabbed at the sheets, small whimpers of pain escaping his lips. Minho  waited until his fiancé let out the soft demand to continue and Minho  held the younger prince’s hips as he began to move in and out, slowly, but with deep thrusts.

 

“Ah…uhng…M-Minho…faster,” the younger prince begged, hips swiveling back on Minho.

 

Minho  moaned and moved faster. He removed one hand from  Taemin’s hips and grabbed onto the closest bed post of the canopy bed to steady his movements so he grazed against that spot inside his fiancé that made his body shiver with need and whimper. It was not long before Minho felt the pool in his stomach release inside Taemin. His fiancé gave a whine and his body stiffened as well before coming on the front layers of his dress and the bed.

 

Minho  pulled out and plopped onto the bed beside his fiancé. The younger prince lay still for a while before lifted himself. Taemin shimmied out of the dress fully and moved the climb on top of Minho. He smiled down at him and pecked his lips then skimmed them across his cheek to his ear and whispered into it. The older prince laughed and reached up to pull Taemin into a kiss and they began a second round.

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

“Hey, come back here you two,” Onew yelled as he saw his little brother and Minho  dash out of the ball room. He started to go after them, but felt a hand grab onto his. He turned to see Seunghyun looking at him surprised.

 

“Onew…where are you going?”

 

The older Aurora prince felt a bit ashamed having thought to leave his fiancé without notice and took a deep breath. He knew what his little brother and his fiancé had gone off to do, he just had to not think about it, and pretend he did not know and enjoy the time he had with Seunghyun.

 

Onew took both Seunghyun’s hands in his and lifted them, pressing a kiss to them. “Forgive me. I saw my brother run off with his fiancé and I lost myself for a moment. I shall leave them be and spend the night with you.”

 

The swan prince smiled, a light pink on his cheeks. “You will?”

 

Onew smiled and nodded. “Of course.  Shall we dance?”

 

Seunghyun shook his head shyly. “No, I can’t really dance.”

 

“Oh, well shall we get food?”

 

Seunghyun laughed. “We have been eating this whole time. Can we go somewhere private?”

 

“Private? Do you want to go to the balcony then? We can talk to Ryeowook and the prince.”

 

Seunghyun shook his head again. He looked around them before leaning into Onew and whispered into his ear. “I want you to hold me.”

 

Onew pulled away and stared at his fiancé. “Are you sure? We can wait if you want.”

 

Seunghyun shook his head. “I am sure. I have missed you, Onew.”

 

Onew smiled. “Oh, but what about Ryeowook, should we leave him alone?”

 

“I think it will be fine. The fairies are around here,” Seunghyun said and gestured for them to leave.

 

Onew held Seunghyun’s arm with his and led him to his room. He froze for a minute, hearing moans from one of the other rooms occupying the circular area they had been given to room for the night. He took a big breath, ignoring the sounds of his little brother in pleasure, and pulled Seunghyun into his own room, locking the door. He sighed not being able to hear them any longer.

 

“How should we…” he began only to see Seunghyun already stripped and lying on the bed, chest down. Onew’s eyes ran down the line of his body and he swallowed.

 

Seunghyun smiled at him and reached out. “Come here, Onew. I will get embarrassed if you keep staring like that.”

 

Onew nodded and took no time in stripping himself. He moved forward and climbed onto the bed. Seunghyun rolled over and sat up. He reached an arm out and placed it on Onew’s shoulder before moving forward onto his lap, placing his other hand on Onew’s chest. He bit his lips and looked at Onew nervously.

 

“I don’t really know what to do from here, but please hold me.”

 

Onew nodded and leaned in to kiss his fiancé. He moved his lips slowly with Seunghyun and pulled him against him to rock their bodies together and the younger began to let out small moans at the friction. Onew reached behind him to where the dresser was having seen bottles of oil and perfumes placed on each of their dressers for guests’ use. He picked one up and removed his lips from Seunghyun’s. He shifted the younger on his lap and Seunghyun moaned softly. He started to trail kisses down Onew’s neck and the older was distracted for a minute before returning to the task of getting ready to prep his fiancé.

 

With his fingers coated, Onew moved them between Seunghyun’s butt cheeks and pressed one finger inside. He moved it causing uncomfortable whines to escaped Seunghyun’s lips. Onew started to kiss him again as he added a second and third and pulled his fingers out.

 

Seunghyun whined, but followed Onew’s movements and he tugged on his hips to position his fiancé over his member.

 

“Lower slowly,” Onew instructed and pressed a kiss to Seunghyun’s neck.

 

The swan prince nodded and lowered himself. His finger nails dug into Onew’s shoulders as he lowered himself on Onew’s large erection, hissing with the pain of penetration. Onew held his hips in place once he was all the way down and kissed along his neck to relax Seunghyun. He moved one hand to his member and stroked it. The added pleasure quickened the easing of the pain and Seunghyun started to shift on Onew.

 

Onew moaned at the tight heat. “Move up and down.”

 

Seunghyun nodded and started to lift himself and then dropped himself. Onew groaned at the sudden downward motions and Seunghyun gave a scream of pleasure and surprise.

 

“Careful,” Onew groaned and continued to stroke Seunghyun with his other hand on his hips to help guide him. He moved his own hips up after a few moves from Seunghyun, to meet his fiancé’s motions.

 

Every now and then, Onew would lean in and kiss Seunghyun. Sometimes they landed on his fiancé’s lips, but most times Onew found himself kissing the swan prince’s neck, the soft tender skin exposed as Seunghyun leaned his head back and moaned. Onew could feel himself grow closer to his end and lifted his hand away from Seunghyun’s member to bring it to the prince’s hair. He ran his fingers through the sweaty locks before pulling him down to kiss sloppily. Seunghyun broke away first. He stopped his up and down motions and just gave small ones, shifting his hips around until his face contorted in pleasure as he came.

 

Onew thrust up as he watched his fiancé and came soon after. He flopped back onto the bed. Seunghyun fell with him, breath hard. After a few minutes, the younger cuddled close to Onew and sighed happily.

 

“I love you.”

 

Onew felt his chest swell and he brought a hand up to swipe away Seunghyun’s bangs and looked at him. “I love you, too. Stay the night here?”

 

Seunghyun nodded. “I don’t want to be without you again.”

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

Key let out a high pitched squeal as Jonghyun started to chase after him again. He fluttered around the ballroom, zooming past other fairies. The fairy prince quickly caught up to him and grabbed him around the waist, attacking his neck with kisses. Key squealed again and laughed. There had been a small table filled with little plates of food for the fairies and a small fountain of fairy ambrosia. The witch fairy had taken too big a liking to it and had lessen his hold over Jonghyun and now found himself easily giving into the flirting of the other fairy. Certainly they had made a sort of amends, but Key was not totally into giving his whole heart back to Jonghyun quite yet, to regain that happy life they had lived in. However, with the alcohol running through his tiny veins, he could not bring himself to remember that right then.

 

“Kibum~~~, let’s go find somewhere private,” Jonghyun hummed into Key’s ear.

 

The witch fairy tried to swat Jonghyun away thinking he was not in the mood to submit to pleasure, but Jonghyun’s hand running down his side made him rethink. He sighed and nodded letting Jonghyun pull him out of the ball room, ignoring the calls of the other fairies to stay a while longer. Key caught sight of Taemin and Minho still on the dance floor and Onew with his fiancé. He tried to see Ryeowook, but had lost sight of the swamp prince long before he had started to drink.

 

They made their way to the circular room where their bedroom connected to and looked around. Key pointed to a small cushion set up in the corner of the ceiling, probably set there for fairies to rest and they flew to it. The cushion was read and soft and Key laid down in it. Jonghyun moved on top of him and began to remove his clothes, kissing his naked body and Key just hummed, enjoying the touching and just laid there, hand occasionally going to brush through Jonghyun’s hair. He was switched into a crouching position on his elbows and knees and mewled when he felt Jonghyun’s tongue invade his entrance.

 

The door to the circular living room opened and Key watched through blurry eyes as a knight walked in carrying a bag of something green. Peas? They looked around the room, peaking into each one before entering Ryeowook’s. They came back out quickly. It didn’t seem as if he had stolen anything and so Key ignored it. His mind went completely blank as he felt Jonghyun push into him. He grabbed onto the red soft material of the cushion and arched, moaning. Jonghyun moaned back. Sometimes he said stuff, hot words to add to Key’s pleasure. Other times just an ‘I love you’ or just a call of Key’s full name that built up his pleasure even more.

 

He came once, only to be turned onto his back and for Jonghyun to continue. Key groaned and reached up. He tugged on Jonghyun’s hair as the beast fairy pounded into him. He arched when Jonghyun hit against his sweet spots and called out until he came again and Jonghyun finally released inside him. They lay there together for a minute, Jonghyun nuzzling him asking for more, but the witch fair denied him asking to let him regain himself. He felt limp and just wanted to bask.

 

The door to the room opened again and Key instantly knew it was Taemin and Minho  by the younger boy’s giggling. He looked over the side of the cushion to see them disappear into their room. It was only quiet for a few minutes before he heard the faint moan coming from the younger prince and Key cringed. The door opened again and the witch fairy’s eyes widened.

 

“Is that Onew?” Jonghyun whispered peeking at the door. “And his fiancé?”

 

They both disappeared into the older prince’s room and the cycle repeated. Key groaned becoming affected and curled up against Jonghyun. The prince fairy took it as his cue to go ahead and began kissing along Key’s neck, rubbing his hands all over the other fairy’s body. He made circles at the base of Key’s wings causing Key to shiver and moan, that being the most sensitive part of a fairy.

 

“Let me love you again, Key,” Jonghyun whispered into the witch fairy’s ear and all Key could do was nod.

 

Jonghyun lifted him up and sat him in his lap, back to chest. He kissed at Key’s neck and lifted him, dropping him on his member. Key cried out and his arms went behind his head and Jonghyun’s. He tugged at Jonghyun’s chocolate hair and arched back into him. Jonghyun continued to kiss him and started to bounce the witch fairy up and down in his lap, his hips moving up into Key’s.

 

Key barely registered the door opening up again. He could hear whispered voices that sounded like Ryeowook talking to another, but only one pair of feet entered the room. They paused and squeaked before quickly making their way to their room, closing the door with a hurried bang. There was only one another person Key could think would enter the room and he chuckled into one of Jonghyun’s kiss receiving a hard thrust upwards that made him see white.

 

It was only a while later he came a third time, Jonghyun thrusting up into him and squirting his own end inside. He could still hear soft moans from the other rooms, but chose to ignore them and flopped onto the cushion, Jonghyun curled up against his back and covered them with his wings.

 


	18. Too Loud

**Chapter 18 – Too Loud**

 

The next morning Minho  found himself with his head and right arm hanging off the bed and one of his legs fast asleep. He groaned and attempted to lift himself. He found Taemin sleeping on his leg, curled up in the puffy blue folds of his dress. He smiled at the cute sight of his rumpled fiancé and tried to shift only to yelp out in pain. The sound caused Taemin to sit up in surprise freeing Minho’s leg.

 

“What’s wrong?” Taemin asked rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

 

Minho  sat up a bit more and reached out for the leg Taemin had been sleeping on, carefully bending it. He gritted his teeth and rubbed it up and down. “Leg fell asleep.”

 

“Oh, sorry,” Taemin said with a sheepish grin at his fiancé and reached out to help rub his leg as well.

 

Minho  smiled at Taemin, the painful tingling starting to go away. He leaned forward and kissed Taemin’s cheek. “Thank you.”

 

The younger prince just smiled and moved himself into Minho’s lap, sliding the rest of the way out of the blue dress. He wrapped his arms around Minho’s neck and leaned in to return the kiss on his fiancé’s lips. Minho  placed his hand on Taemin’s waist and pressed his lips back, their naked bodies pressing up against each other. A moan left Minho’s lips and pulled away.

 

“We should get up,” Minho said.

 

“Bu, Minho,” Taemin argued and moved his hips forward, “you’re already up.”

 

Minho  laughed and pecked Taemin’s lips. “You are definitely too sore for that kind of thing right now, Taemin. Stop being a tease.”

 

The younger prince giggled and rolled off Minho’s lap and into the sheets, still laughing.

 

“What’s got you in such a happy mood?” Minho  asked not able to remove the smile from his own face seeing Taemin so cheery.

 

“I don’t know, I just feel good even though my hips hurt a lot.”

 

“They hurt because you are always begging for more. Are you not an incubus secretly?” Minho  joked.

 

Taemin just shrugged. “I’m not, just being with my fiancé like that makes me happy, and the more we are like that the happier I am. It’s not like you do not enjoy it.”

 

“I might be enjoying it too much,” Minho  said and slipped off from the bed. He held his hands out to Taemin and the younger prince to them allowing him to be lifted out of bed and into Minho’s arms.

 

“We should get dressed first, there’s only one bathroom for all of us.”

 

Minho  nodded. “You’re right. We don’t need to make it obvious what we did all night if your brother is already out there.”

 

They both quickly cleaned off and slipped on robes before they left the room intent on heading to the bathroom to bathe. No one was in the living area other than the two fairies napping on the cushion in the corner of the ceiling, so they hurried to the bathroom. Minho  jiggled the doorknob only to find it locked and pressed his ear against the door quickly moving back.

 

“Your brother is in there,” Minho  said.

 

“Oh, then where is Seunghyun, we can talked to him while we wait,” Taemin said.

 

“He’s in there with him,” Minho  explained and a look of understanding crossed Taemin’s face.

 

“Shall we go wake up Ryeowook then? I’m not sure what time he came in.”

 

Minho  nodded and they went to the swamp prince’s room. The door  was unlocked and Minho  slipped inside only to find the bed messy and empty. He frowned.

 

“Ryeowook? Are you here? We came to say good morning,” Minho  said looking around the room.

 

There was a groan and Taemin ran to the other side of the bed. “Minho, he’s over here.”

 

The prince was curled up on the floor, eyes half opened with dark circles under them.

 

“Ryeowook, what’s wrong?”

 

At the sight of them, the prince curled up more and hid his face. “I couldn’t sleep.”

 

Taemin kneeled down beside Ryeowook. “Oh, why is that?”

 

Ryeowook peeked out at them and then hid his face again. “It was loud.”

 

“Loud?” Minho  asked then blushed. “Oh, we’re sorry.”

 

Ryeowook sat up and shook his head. “Not just you two, everyone was loud. You don’t have to feel guilty, though. The bed was a bit uncomfortable as well, too soft.”

 

Minho  nodded and helped the prince up and they went back into the living room where Onew and his fiancé sat cuddled up, the fairies fluttering around the room, looking as if they were arguing. Minho  approached his to-be-brother-in-law.

 

“Onew, you should apologize, too?”

 

“Apologize for what?” the older prince asked glaring at Minho  before looking behind him and the somberly walking Ryeowook.

 

“You look tired.”

 

“He couldn’t sleep because we were all loud,” Taemin explained.

 

“Oh,” Onew said and looked away embarrassed. “I do apologize. It must have been uncomfortable for you.”

 

Ryeowook shook his head. “You…you all deserve to do as you like with your loved ones, don’t mind me, it was just one night. I had other things that kept me awake as well.”

 

“Like your prince?” Seunghyun asked.

 

Ryeowook nodded and looked at his hands shyly. “Yes. I really hope I can pass the test the queen gives us, I think I really did fall for him.”

 

“I think he fell for you, too,” Taemin said and hugged the other prince.

 

“Taemin, why are you just in a robe, get dressed,” his brother said.

 

Minho  took his fiancé’s arm and led him into the bathroom before his brother could observe more than just Taemin’s clothing and then the two brothers would start to fight. They quickly washed up, trying to be quiet as Taemin insisted on being held once more before they had to depart to continue to go after Hangeng. They were flushed, but cleaned by the time they came out, dressed and ready for the day. Onew’s grumpy expression greeting Minho as soon as the older prince realized what took them so long.

 

“Well, it everyone is done having last minute sex, shall we go?” Key asked.

 

“We haven’t had last minute sex yet, Kibum,” Jonghyun said, fluttering close to the witch fairy.

 

Key kicked him away. “Go away, I’m in too much pain to deal with you right now.”

 

“Go where?” Minho  asked.

 

“Oh, right after you two went into the bathroom, a guard came in and told us there will be a meeting about the test held in the main throne room. It should be starting soon,” Seunghyun explained, an arm wrapped around a nervous Ryeowook’s shoulders.

 

Taemin bounced over and wrapped an arm around his shoulders as well. “Don’t worry, you will do fine. Plus, Prince Yesung already favors you.”

 

Ryeowook smiled and they headed out of the room.

 

The throne room was already filled with more or less the same amount of people that had been at the ball the previous night. The thrones were empty though, guards waiting at the bottom of the raised pedestal they were positioned on. Minho led them through the crowd to the front, Ryeowook and Taemin beside him.

 

After a few minutes of chattering amongst the crowd, trumpets blared and the crowd separated themselves in half as a red carpet was strewn across the floor. The queen walked down the carpet with powerful strides and was lifted onto the pedestal by the guards. Prince Yesung followed after a bit more reserved and only took one hand of a servant to help himself onto the pedestal and into his own throne.

 

The queen looked around, a grin on her face. She raised her hand to quiet everyone and then began to speak. “How is everyone this morning? Did you all get a good rest? Well, it is time for the test, yes? Would all the suitors for my son’s hand please step forward.”

 

Minho  pushed Ryeowook forward a little and the prince got at the end of the line of what Seunghyun had said to be mostly fake princes and princesses. The queen looked them up and down and smiled more. “Alright, some marry chat with you all first. I have a few questions. Raise your arms if you did not make it to your bed before you passed out from the ball yesterday. Be honest, it was a fun ball wasn’t it?”

 

A few of the suitors raised there hands. The queen nodded. “Alright, alright, those with their hands up, take a few steps back, I’m just separating you. Now raise your hand if as soon as your head hit the pillow you were asleep or if you slept well.”

 

More raised there hands looking confused. The queen laughed.

 

“My, so many of you; but I do not blame you, our beds are very comfortable. Please move to the right then.”

 

The suitors you had slept comfortably moved to the right and then only two stood still in the line, one of them being Ryeowook.

 

“Ah, so I assume you two have not slept at all?”

 

They both nodded.

 

“And why is that?” the queen continued to ask.

 

The other suitor smiled. “The party your majesty held was so fun, I lost track of time and it was morning before I knew it.”

 

The queen laughed and then turned to Ryeowook. “And you?”

 

Ryeowook swallowed and looked over at Yesung. Minho  poked Taemin to get his attention, noticing the prince was smiling reassuringly at Ryeowook.

 

“I…I could not get comfortable last night. I even tried to sleep on the floor, but I have never been good at sleeping on strange surfaces.”

 

“What do you sleep on at home?” the queen asked.

 

“Oh, well, my parents spoiled me and gave me the best bed in our small kingdom. It is very soft, but also firm and I have a room far away from everyone else so it is nice and quiet.”

 

“So you are a very fragile thing then?”

 

Ryeowook smiled and shook his head. “I’m not as fragile as I seem, just sleepy.”

 

The queen sat back in her throne and studied all the suitors. “Well, I am surprised. Someone has actually managed to past my test. I asked you all about how you slept for that was the test I gave. I will now reveal the results.”

 

The queen pointed to the first group. “You all are disqualified. You did not even attempt the test by falling asleep in other places not your own.”

 

She turned to the other group on the side. “You have all failed the test. A restful night’s sleep was not what I was looking for, so that leads me to you two. However, only one of you ever made it to bed.”

 

The other candidate beside Ryeowook spoke up. “And what was the test if I may ask, your majesty?”

 

The queen hummed and smiled. “Only real royalty are sensitive when it comes to their bodies. Hey can sense ever little thing that is wrong. Each of your best consists of a mattress and seven downy futons. Under those I had my guards place a pea. Only a royal child sensitive enough to feel the pea could be good enough for my son. This child,” she said and pointed at Ryeowook, “would rather attempt to sleep on the floor than on a bed with a pea. How sensitive he must be! Now, I could give this other child a chance since they did not even attempt to sleep yet; however, I will ask my son if he is content with this prince…what is your name, prince?”

 

“His name is Ryeowook, mother,” Prince Yesung said and stood up from his throne. “He is Ryeowook, prince from a small kingdom I have heard that has been going into debt for years. Let us help him and his people. Even if they had both passed, I would ask you choose him for he has stolen my heart and my sympathy.”

 

The queen was struck silent for a minute hearing her son’s words. “My son, you have never spoke like this before. Are you in love with this boy? He was the one covered in swamp muck who barely resembled a prince.”

 

“Even you, mother, would not resemble a queen if covered in such and there is nothing wrong with appearing humble. I believe he is beautiful, and yes, I am in love with him. Let Ryeowook be my bride.”

 

The queen frowned and looked between then. “Oh, alright; Ryeowook, my son shall have your hand, I will send a letter to your family and you will stay here.”

 

“That is, if you want to,” Yesung said.

 

Ryeowook stayed silent for a while before grinning. “Of course I want to stay here. I love you, too.”

 

Prince Yesung jumped down from the pedestal and wrapped Ryeowook in his arms. “I am happy you feel the same. May I seal this engagement in front of all these witnesses?”

 

Ryeowook nodded and tilted his head up. Yesung leaned down and placed his lips upon the other prince’s.

 

The crowd erupted with cheers, a few of them from the other suitors, but most just from the onlookers. Minho  and Taemin whistled at them and they all moved forward to congratulate Ryeowook. After sometime, the queen stole her son and to be son-in-law to plan for a party. Minho said they needed to pack and get ready to leave, not able to stay another night. As they walked back to their rooms, Taemin turned to Minho.

 

“Would a pea not get squished under a mattress and all those futons, plus the added wait of a fitful sleeper?” Taemin asked.

 

Minho  thought it over and grinned sheepishly. “Let’s not tell the queen that. Ryeowook probably just could not sleep because of all the noise we made last night. They are all happy, no reason to make complaints.”

 

“Didn’t he also say it was too soft?” Key asked fluttering by Minho.

 

“Maybe he could feel the pea, the squashed pea,” Jonghyun joked flying by as well.

 

Minho  just raised a brow at the two fairies who twirled happily around each other.

 

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

“I think that’s the last of them,” Onew said as they finished loading up the horses.

 

“Do you think we’ll be fine with just three horses?” Minho  asked. “If you’re bringing Seunghyun along, shouldn’t be get a fourth?”

 

The older prince glared. “What are you saying? Seunghyun doesn’t have that much luggage and we don’t need two horses trailing behind. If you want Seunghyun to ride his own horse then Taemin can ride his own as well, he doesn’t have to ride in front of you all the time.”  
  


Minho  sighed. “Alright, alright, I understand. Maybe we should think about getting a wagon or carriage instead once we get to the next town depending on how the horses are.”

 

“Alright, if that’s agreed on, let’s get on the horses.”

 

“Wait, Minho, we forgot this bag,” Taemin said handing Minho a small mostly empty bag.

 

“What is this?”

 

The younger prince just shrugged. “I don’t know, I just found it.”

 

“Just stick it with the rest and let’s go, Minho,” Onew said already seated on his horse behind Seunghyun.

 

Minho  latched the bag onto the horse and helped Taemin onto the other, getting on behind him. They waved to Ryeowook and Yesung and started out of the kingdom. The streets were filled with people getting ready for the celebration of their prince’s engagement and they had to trot slowly, bumping into the citizens until they finally made it out and onto the road and started south. They had gotten information from Yesung about a complaint of a stranger that had lurked about a day before disappearing. He had been said to be going south and so they continued that way as well.

 

After a few hours, Taemin began to wiggle in his seat in front of Minho.

 

“What’s wrong, Taemin? Are you uncomfortable?” Minho  asked slowing down his horse.

 

“I…I have to pee really badly.”

 

“Oh…oh, alright, we’ll stop in a bit.”

 

Taemin shook his head. “No, I have to pee now.”

 

Onew, who led in front of them, turned his horse. “What’s keeping you two? Something wrong?”

 

“Taemin has to pee,” Jonghyun yelled back to Onew from his spot fluttering around.

 

“Can’t you hold it?” Onew asked only to have Seunghyun tug on his shirt as well. He leaned over and listened before bringing his horse to a stop. “Looks like we are all taking a bathroom break.”

 

Taemin took no time in jumping off the horse and running behind a tree. Minho  followed him and took a tree behind him.

 

“Minho, I feel like someone is watching me,” Taemin said.

 

“No one is watching you but me, just go, I’ll protect you.”

 

“But I felt like this for a while.”

 

Minho  frowned. He quickly did his business and went to get the water, holding it out for the others to wash off their hands with.

 

 “Do you still feel like someone is watching you?” Minho  asked Taemin when he helped his fiancé back up on the horse.

 

Taemin nodded.

 

“I will keep that in mind, so don’t worry too much, alright.” Minho  readjusted the bags on the third horse and climbed on behind Taemin. Just as they started to trot again, he heard the sound of something falling and turned his head to see a bag on the floor.

 

“Onew, hold up, a bag fell.”

 

“Did you not fasten them right?”

 

Minho  ignored Onew’s harshness toward him. He had thought with Seunghyun with them, too, that Onew would lighten up. Maybe it would take a few days. He went over to the horse and bag and picked it up noticing it was the bag they had almost left. He heard something clink inside and decided to open it to check to see if anything was broken. His eyes widened when he pulled out a glass slipper.

 

“Taemin, Onew, look.”

 

The two princes turned to him.

 

“What’s that doing there?” Onew asked. “Hangeng took it, didn’t he?”

 

Minho  turned to his fiancé. The younger prince was staring into the sky blankly as if trying to remember something. He laughed and then grinned at his brother and fiancé and the clueless Seunghyun, with both fairies trying to explain everything to him.

 

“I guess I forgot, but I actually switched mother’s slipper into a different bag that night. I was tired when I did it, I forgot.”

 

Minho  just stared at his fiancé dumbfounded. They had had the shoe all along. And then another thought struck him. Maybe Taemin was right, someone was watching them.

 


	19. Heat Stroke

**Chapter 19 – Heat Stroke**

 

 

The feeling of being watched didn’t disappear until they had reached the southern plains. Gold sandy fields lay across miles and miles, and if it wasn’t for the clear sky, Minho  would have never been able to tell where they were going. They traveled for three days like this, traipsing through the sand, mostly on foot. It was hot, Minho  had never experienced such heat before. After the first day he had felt the skin on his arms begin to blister and all their noses had been tinted red. Seunghyun had pulled out blankets to wrap them in, giving shade and protection from the sun. It had never occurred to him that they might run out of previsions in particular water. Both he and Onew knew how to ration even if neither of them had made a quest to the Southern kingdoms before, and Seunghyun seemed almost completely fine with the heat, probably use to weather close to this living in the central area of the country. It wasn’t until the late morning of their fourth day that Minho  noticed that Taemin took too many swigs from the water jug and rode on the horses much longer than the other three. Even the two fairies seemed fine, though they could simply just cling to the horses and their wings somehow were much faster than legs and seemed at ease fluttering beside them all.

 

When they stopped for a quick snack and a rest, Minho  approached his fiancé still seated on the horse. He slipped the water pouch from him and shook it, making a face at the low amount.

 

“Taemin, you should drink a little less, alright. Onew said we were only a day away from the city.”

 

Taemin whined and pulled the sheet higher causing a darker shadow to cast over his face. Minho would have thought the quiet attitude of his fiancé was from the lack of sex as three days was as long as it seemed Taemin would let it go, but he remembered stopping only the other night and going with Taemin behind a boulder to ‘guard him as he peed’ which ended up being a quick intertwining of their bodies that left a few bruises on the younger prince’s back. Minho  worried if perhaps it had been more then bruises and lifted a hand to his fiancé’s back, touching it softly.

 

“Did I hurt you?” Minho asked whispering softly to Taemin.

 

Taemin shook his head and whined again. “Hot.”

 

“You’re hot? It is hotter today.” Minho  adjusted the sheet around Taemin a bit more. Taemin shivered and the cloth slid from his head letting Minho  see his face. Minho  gasped seeing how pale Taemin was, hair drenched in sweat.

 

“Onew, I think Taemin’s sick!” Minho said. He pressed a hand to his fiancé’s face. He felt too hot and looked so tired.

 

Onew immediately came over. He examined his little brother before sighing. “I was afraid this would happen. Taemin was never really allowed outside during the hotter days and it’s usually cold in Aurora. He’s too weak for this kind of weather.”

 

“Not weak,” Taemin protested feebly.

 

Minho  moved the sheet back over his head. “Not weak, but your body isn’t use to the heat.”

 

“We’ll cut the break short and hurry to the city, it should only be two or three hours until we get there, maybe four if we have to break. Let him have the rest of your water, but make sure he doesn’t drink it all in one go, we’ll share the other sack.”

 

Minho  nodded and quickly got back on his horse behind Taemin. He held his fiancé to him, blowing on his face a bit to see if it would cool him off, the young prince just smiled a bit and nuzzled into Minho’s chest. Onew led, breaking his horse into a slow gallop, Seunghyun riding on the third, bringing up the back. Minho occasionally took glances down at Taemin who was holding the cool water jug to his face. It was an hour later that Onew lifted a hand to signal a decrease in speed.

 

They stopped close to a boulder, more rocks scattered around. “We have to take a ten minute break so the horses can regain themselves then we’ll start the next hour slow and then go at full speed,” Onew said.

 

Minho  dismounted his horse and tried to usher Taemin off as well, but the younger prince only shook his head and whined about staying on the horse. The fairies fluttered away and Minho  watched after them as he gave his horse a small drink to ease the burden of carrying two riders, just two specks disappearing into the gold of the sand. Onew and Seunghyun disappeared behind the boulder and Minho  tried not to listen to the small giggling of stolen kisses as he snuck a spoonful of jam to Taemin.

 

When Onew announced it was time to start up again, Key and Jonghyun weren’t back yet.

 

“I’m sure they’ll catch up to us,” Seunghyun said. “Key can track us down with his magic and they seem to be doing much better with the heat than us, and they’re faster. It looked like they were just going to look ahead anyways, so we’ll meet them.”

 

Minho  barely nodded a response worried more for his paler and paler fiancé. He really wasn’t good with the heat and Minho tipped the water against Taemin’s lips to give him a small drink. “Hang in there, alright?”

 

Taemin nodded, a croak escaping his lips in affirmation. They began again, slowly. Minho  looked around and saw more and more large rocks around them, almost as if decorated in a sort of welcoming way, though Minho  wasn’t sure what was welcoming about large rocks, and there were those huge boulders occasionally. Onew started to bring  his horse to a fast trot, but the light brown horse whinnied and stepped back. Onew tried again, but the horse only reared up and the older prince had to fight it down, tugging on reigns and yelling. When the horse was back on all four hooves again, Onew dismounted and patted the horse to calm it.

 

“Something’s wrong,” Minho  said.

 

“Of course there is, these rocks are weird. The map didn’t say anything about a rock garden and we still have another hour and a half to go if we’re fast.”

 

“Where are Key and Jonghyun, we should have met with them by now,” Seunghyun pointed out.

 

Minho  looked around. There was only, sand and rocks and the clear blue sky. He dismounted as well and took a few steps ahead of them. He could feel something shaking in the earth now that his feet were on the ground. He turned his head in the direction but could only see a line of rocks and boulders blocking his vision. The shaking came again and Minho moved further up. Dusk kicked up in a small cloud on the horizon. Minho  squinted his eyes to see better. What appeared to be a lone rider at first turned into a riderless horse running rogue in the dessert seconds later. Minho  fingered his sword at his side and turned to Onew.

 

“It seems like there might be a group somewhere up ahead, but I think they’re too far east to really bother us,” Minho  said.

 

“That must be it, we’ll have to lead the horses a bit before we remount, they’re spooked. Make sure Taemin’s hanging in there.”

 

Minho  turned his attention to his fiancé and froze just as he saw a figure appear behind Seunghyun and the third horse. Before he had time to warn the swan prince, a hand shot out and covered Seunghyun’s mouth pulling him off the horse. Seunghyun landed on the ground with a gasp and they both ran over to him only to have the figure that had pulled him off appear before them holding a sword that looked familiar to Minho. His sword as Minho realized checking his scabbard and finding it missing. The figure held it out, black robes covering his body.

 

“Don’t fight me,” the figure said, voice low and rich.

 

Minho  clenched his fist, eyes meeting the figure’s dark ones, the rest of his body covered by the black clothes. He took a step back and disappeared in a swirl before appearing against behind Seunghyun who was still sitting on the ground. The grabbed the third horse’s reigns and mounted it, the bags clinking with their possessions and the figure began to ride off with them. Minho’s horse whined and Minho’s eyes widened as he saw the rope that hooked the third horse to Minho’s tug and pull the black stallion along with the figure.

 

“Taemin!” Minho  yelled after the horses and the figure, his fiancé still clinging to the horse.

 

Onew moved and mounted his horse, prepared to run after the thief, but the thief figure seemed to have heard Minho’s yell and stopped his hurried galloping of the stolen horse to look back just as Taemin started to slide off the horse and fall to the sand, limp.

 

Minho  grabbed Seunghyun’s arm and ran.

 

The thief was already kneeling beside Taemin when Minho got there, pointing Minho’s stolen sword at Onew.

 

“Get away from him,” Onew growled.

 

“You think I’m dangerous to him?” the thief asked. “I would say you three were much more dangerous. Did you kidnap him or are you just stupid enough to allow a prince to roam the desserts without proper preparations?”

 

“He’s my fiancé, of course we didn’t kidnap him,” Minho said. “You have no right to accuse like that, you’re a thief. Now, you might have my sword, but there are three of us.”

 

“I don’t fear numbers, I have magic. Yes, I’m a thief, but I’m not a killer.” The thief threw the sword back at Minho  to catch and moved the sheet away from Taemin’s face, inspecting him. “I wouldn’t have attacked you if I had known this one was a prince, I just thought he was a lady. I knew of a harem I could sell her into, but royalty is another story.”

 

Minho  knelt down and pushed the thief away, Onew immediately poking the thief’s back with his sword. “Don’t touch him. And we’re all princes.”

 

The thief scoffed. “Then you are very unintelligent princes. A carriage should have gone along miles ago to meet you if you were coming to visit.”

 

“We aren’t here for a visit, we’re on a quest,” Minho said.

 

“Minho, there’s no need to give him the details, just make sure Taemin’s alright.”

 

“He’s not alright, he needs to get to shade and get rest. I have herbs that can help at my place. I suppose I have to help you all since I didn’t notice you were princes. I don’t make it a habit to steal from the actual royal families, just the people that work for them.”

 

“How very moral of you,” Minho sneered and looked down at his fiancé. Taemin really didn’t look good. “Onew, we’re going to have to go with the thief. Key’s not here, so I don’t know what else to do.”

 

“I agree, he doesn’t seem so bad since he stopped to help Taemin,” Seunghyun piped in.

 

“He was going to sell my brother to a harem,” Onew said shaking his sword at the thief.

 

“Only if he was a girl, and not a princess,” the thief corrected.

 

Seunghyun moved to Onew and pushed his sword arm down. “Please, for Taemin and me.”

 

“Fine, but none of that disappearing trick, understand?”

 

The thief stood up and brushed himself off. “It’s understood. Follow me then.” The thief whistled and a black painted horse galloped through the sand toward him. He mounted and turned to the others. “Hurry now, he only has about thirty minutes before he’ll be in critical condition.”

 

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

They had galloped in circles around the rocks and boulders before the thief finally stopped behind one of the bigger ones and kneeled down, brushing sand away to reveal a door. The room it led down to was small and Minho  was afraid sand would seep down and fill it like the bottom of an hour glass in the instance of a sandstorm. The thief assured them it was much sturdier than that and they moved to lay Taemin on the makeshift bed of piled thin mattresses.

 

The thief moved quickly about the room collecting bowls and little pockets of what Minho  guessed to be herbs before coming over to the mattress.

 

“Try to wake him up,” the thief said as he started pouring the herbs into a bowl, grinding them together before adding water.

 

Minho  sat diligently beside his fiancé. He looked down at Taemin at the command and cupped the younger prince’s small face in his hands. He tried lightly tapping his face, he tried calling out Taemin’s name, but the boy’s eyelids stayed shut.

 

The thief growled. “He has to be some what conscious to drink this or it’ll clog his throat. Do anything that could rouse his body.”

 

Anything. Minho  took a glance behind him where Seunghyun held Onew a few feet back. “Forgive me Onew.”

 

The older prince’s eyed Minho  confused, but Minho  only turned back to his fiancé and leaned down, pressing his lips against Taemin’s. He moved them roughly, tongue poking between the dry pillows of his fiancé’s lips, and he ran a hand down Taemin’s body, stopping to cup his crotch, palming it softly. If he could get hard then Taemin would wake up.

 

“Minho, if this doesn’t work you’re dead,” Onew said from behind him.

 

Minho  groaned praying to all he knew that it worked. Another groan filled the room and Minho  felt lips murmur against his own. He moved back and looked down at his fiancé, eyebrows scrunched up in dissatisfaction.

 

“Brother…don’t kill him…need him to touch…more, hmm,” Taemin mumbled.

 

“Well…get him to open his mouth and tell him to drink,” the thief said.

 

Minho  moved his hand from Taemin’s crotch and pressed two fingers into his fiancé’s mouth, the younger prince obediently opening up for him.

 

“Taemin, I need you to swallow,” Minho  whispered in his ear as the thief tilted the bowl up and the medicine flowed down his throat. Taemin coughed a bit and his eyes blinked open a second only to glare at Minho.

 

“Tastes bad…owe me later,” Taemin muttered before lying back in the mattress beginning to drift off.

 

The thief handed another bowl of water and a clothe to Minho. “Cool him off, he just needs to rest for a while.”

 

Minho  delicately dabbed the damp towel against Taemin’s face. “Who are you?”

 

“Yes, we deserve to know who you are,” Onew agreed.

 

The thief sighed and walked over to a chest. He opened it and began to unwrap the black cloak from his body. Minho’s eyes widened seeing the boy that stood before them, skin tinted gold probably from his days in the dessert, and black hair streaked with blonde in the front. He looked around Taemin’s age and Minho  felt a bit of pity for the thief.

 

“I’m Kai,” the thief said then turned and grinned at them. “I’ll tell you more if you tell me why four princes would be traveling this way if not for a visit at our palace. On a quest or something?”

 

“We’ll tell you, but first finish explaining yourself,” Onew said.

 

“Hmm, well, I don’t have any family, it’s just me so I have to find some way to stay alive.”

 

“You could get an honest job instead of stealing,” Onew grumbled.

 

“Ah, I tried that when I was younger, but they don’t pay children enough to survive. I only steal from the merchants, not even the royals. Our sultan is an honest man, but he is young, and I’m sure he tries his best to bring every one of his subjects joy while dealing with his own issues.”

 

“Sultan? Is that what you call your princes here?” Minho asked.

 

 “You must not be from the Southern are if you don’t know. Sultan is our king. He’s only a few years older than me, our previous Sultan and his wife died when he was still just a child.”

 

“You talk quite highly of your ruler for a thief,” Onew said.

 

Kai chuckled. “It might be strange, but as I said, I only do enough to survive. I don’t kill anyone. I was blessed to have met the royal magician once before he became the magician while working at a stall. He taught me a few medicinal potions and a teleportation spell. I highly respect our Sultan, his face has given me strength for much of my life. He is beautiful. Many others agree. I thought perhaps you princes were here to win his heart as many princesses have been coming lately, so many that the Sultan finally said he would much prefer a male as his bride.”

 

Minho grinned. “And do you wish to win his heart?”

 

The thief looked surprised before looking away. “I could not possibly dream of such a thing, I’m just a petty thief.”

 

“Well, don’t worry, we have no interest in taking your precious Sultan’s heart,” Minho  said looking down at the sleeping Taemin. “We’re engaged as you see, very happily so.”

 

“Yes, so I’ve come to understand, but what I don’t understand is why you would bring your fiancés along on a quest.”

 

“Yes, we’re on a quest, at least we were. We were chasing a thief who had something we needed, but it turns out he escaped us taking the wrong thing. Perhaps you can help, have you heard of a thief looking for a glass slipper?” Minho  asked. When they had found that Hangeng had indeed not taken the shoe, Minho’s first instinct was just to head back, but Taemin insisted that they continue on their search for the thief. Onew agreed after realizing they were being watched. They needed to be clear of Hangeng before heading back to the castle.

 

“Well, it’s not like thieves trust each other. There are always shady characters traveling in the dessert and not all of them come by here and get trapped in my rock garden,” Kai explained.

 

“You made that?” Onew asked.

 

“The rocks? Yes, I moved them. It’s good for hiding and confusing merchant travelers. Is your party just the four of you?”

 

Minho frowned. “No, we had two friends, but they disappeared when they went ahead of us.”

 

“I haven’t seen any other princes today,” Kai explained.

 

Onew cleared his throat. “They aren’t exactly princes.”

 

“They’re fairies,” Seunghyun piped in.

 

“Fairies? You mean people about this tall?” Kai asked indicating the length of his elbow.

 

Minho  nodded and stood from his place kneeling beside Taemin’s sleeping form. “Yes, have you seen them?”

 

The thief moved to his chest and opened it before pulling out two figures tied together, passed out. “I thought they were hawks from the bandits around here."

 


	20. Genie's Lamp

**Chapter 20 – Genie’s Lamp**

 

 

It wasn’t easy getting the witch fairy to forgive Kai for his mistake. Key threw spell after spell at the thief and Kai teleported about his small dwelling for twenty minutes escaping the fairy’s wrath before Taemin suddenly sat up and yelled for them both to stop then grabbed Minho  by the collar and pulled him in bed with him to use as a body pillow. Kai agreed to lead them to the city and help them question the citizens about the whereabouts of Hangeng. Onew and Minho  had talked that night about what they should do if they didn’t find the thief and the older prince agreed that if Hangeng hadn’t passed by here then it was safe to head straight home since they already had the shoe provided they could get a small team of escorts to lead them half way back North from the Sultan. If they did find Hangeng…well that depended on what Taemin wanted with him and what trouble the thief would give them.

 

They woke up early the next morning by Kai ushering them out of his hideout to catch breakfast at the market before it was all gone (or last night’s supper scraps as Kai said he usually went to scavenge). Minho  sat behind Taemin the whole ride while his fiancé talked to Kai animatedly about Aurora and how much he loved Minho. It was cute until he heard them laughing together and he had to remind himself that Kai was in love with the Sultan and Taemin was probably just happy to have someone close to his age that wasn’t another royal.

 

The city was lively, more than Minho  would have thought for a kingdom in the dessert heat. Most of the shoppers wore long cloaks, usually a dark color, as they walked about, but the ones that didn’t barely wore a thing at all. The women showed their bellies and cleavage with heavy jewelry and Minho  deducted that the ones without guards were prostitutes and the ones that walked around with covered maids holding umbrellas over their heads were either very proficient prostitutes or merchant daughters that were popular, woman and girls for the poorer ones to look up to and idolize. The men walked around shirtless or in clothing respective of their work if they didn’t wear the cloaks. Minho felt misplaced among them with his riding clothes and held Taemin closer to him, his fiancé still in a more feminine version of the same outfit. Key and Jonghyun hid in Kai’s cloaks and Onew and Seunghyun brought up the back on the other two horses.

 

“We need to park the horses, I can show you a trustworthy inn and then you can choose to stay there or I can lead you to the castle later,” Kai proposed.

 

“If we go to the castle first we’ll be side tracked by hospitality. Let’s get some questioning in first then we’ll think about rest,” Onew answered and Kai led them through the throngs of citizens to an inn with a stable.

 

 They locked up the horses and stashed their goods in a safe at the inn for the next four hours then proceeded to follow Kai back to the markets. Minho  kept a firm hold on Taemin’s waist, Onew doing the same with his fiancé, as they moved through the people. The citizens stared at them with fear or curiosity. Some of the men stared too long at Taemin and he ruffled the younger prince’s hair in an attempt to hide his face from the prowling eyes.

 

“Maybe I should get one of those wraps like Kai has.”

 

“Do you want a female one?” Kai asked having been explained to about Aurora’s customs.

 

“You don’t need one, Taemin,” Minho  said.

 

“But they keep staring at us, we stand out too much in these clothes. It’d be fine if we were headed toward the castle or had guards,” Taemin argued.

 

“Taemin’s right. And the fact we’re following a thief around doesn’t really help. We’re suspicious,” Seunghyun added.

 

Onew sighed. “Minho, we’re buying cloaks.”

 

Kai led them to a stall that sold the darkly colored wraps. The merchant was a pleasant old woman who immediately took a liking to Taemin mistaking him as a girl.

 

“Usually only royals wear this color, but you would look so pretty in it, like a princess,” the woman said and pulled out an off white silk wrap.

 

“We really just need plain ones,” Minho began but he could tell by the look in his fiancé’s eyes that he wanted the pretty material. Minho  reminded himself that Taemin had grown up being given only the best, he hadn’t been taught to nod indulge and Minho  didn’t want to break that innocence over something as simple as five feet of white material.

 

Now clad in cloaks matching the majority of the population of the market place, they headed off for questioning. Kai led them to an eatery that had a large covered area with tables and a kitchen of terra cotta ovens. When he saw the thief digging in his pant pockets for money, Minho placed his hand on his shoulder and shuffled out enough to cover their group. (He still hadn’t forgiven Kai enough to cover his meal as well). The thief came back with arms full of plates of bread and soups, a good late morning meal and he nibbled on a slice of bread off to the side away from Taemin’s prowling eyes which Minho was grateful for as he knew his fiancé would probably offer his new found friend his food.

 

Onew and Seunghyun volunteered to talk with the owner of the eatery about sightings of Hangeng. They came back with nothing and, after finishing their meal, the group followed Kai to the cheaper inns that Hangeng could have stayed at. Again, nothing.

 

“You said he was a thief?” Kai asked.

 

“Yes, he was in the dungeons for stealing at my cousin’s castle,” Minho  answered.

 

Kai nibbled the tips of his fingers in thought. “Ah, perhaps I can ask the girls about him.”

 

“The girls?” Onew inquired.

 

“Prostitutes from the brothels.” Kai grinned.

 

“I don’t think that’s appropriate,” Seunghyun said.

 

Key poked his head out of Seunghyun’s cloak. “We’re not going to a brothel, Jonghyun will go crazy in there…that’s if any of those girls are pretty.”

 

“If you would take this curse off me, we wouldn’t have to worry about that!” Jonghyun yelled from his hiding spot in the folds of Onew’s cloak.

 

“Are you complaining because you want to go to a brothel?” The witch fairy’s voice was loud and Minho  rolled his eyes hoping Jonghyun would live to see tomorrow.

 

“We don’t have time for you two to be fighting.”

 

“I don’t think Hangeng would look for the company of women,” Taemin spoke up.

 

Minho  gave his fiancé a curious look and Taemin gave him a little secretive smile.

 

“There are boys in the brothels, too,” Kai informed them. “Also, the let anyone take refuge there. He might have gone there simply to sleep.”

 

Minho  sighed. “To the brothels then.”

 

“You’re going to let my brother into that sort of place?” Onew looked at him angrily.

 

Minho  shrugged letting Taemin drag him by the hand to follow after Kai who had already started through the crowd to the shadier parts of the market. For someone that was so dependent on sex to keep up a good mood, Minho  figured it couldn’t hurt to let Taemin see a naked woman. She’d never be able to satisfy his fiancé like he could anyways.

 

Though the streets that led to the brothel were dangerous looking with trash and scary men lining the wall, the brothel itself was descent. More than descent actually. It looked like a room he imagined would be housed in the royal palace. Gold and red drapes hung everywhere and the floor was more or less made of giant comfy looking pillows with low tables placed every few feet. And the mostly naked females littered about would have been a nice extra touch if Minho  was into women, or just into anyone but Taemin. The moment they walked in a group of the girls pulled themselves off their pillows like languid cats and made their way over to them.

 

“Oh, Kai, who are your friends?” they asked moving past the thief and clinging to each of them.

 

Minho  ended up with two wrapped around him. One of them was shirtless and large chested and the pressed her breasts against Minho’s chest. Minho  only gave her one disinterested look before watching his fiancé’s reaction instead. Taemin stared. It wasn’t a lustful stare, but intense and Minho  wanted to laugh. He may have chuckled because Taemin shook himself out of his chance and pushed the one girl away from him, his own totally naked girl letting go of his arm, and clung to Minho. He thought he heard Taemin whisper ‘mine’ and could care less about the petrified Onew and overwhelmed Seunghyun trying to keep the two fairies from bickering too loudly, both now hidden in his cloak.

 

“Oh, they’re looking for someone. Do you girls mind if they asked a few questions?”

 

The other girl still hooked to Minho purred loudly in his ear. “Only if they play with us; I’m fine if his girlfriend joins us, too.”

 

“I’m a boy,” Taemin corrected, “and he’s only going to play with me.”

 

Kai laughed. “They’re all very much in love I’m afraid. You’ll have to dig your claws into other handsome men.”

 

The girls scoffed and pulled away. Onew immediately clung onto Seunghyun still seeming petrified.

 

“Sure, ask away.”

 

“Have any foreign men come here lately?” Minho  asked.

 

One of the girls shrugged. “There have been foreigners here. They come for the prince and leaved after filling us.”

 

“One that came just to sleep,” Taemin added.

 

The naked one that had clung to Taemin nodded. “There was a guy with a bow and arrow I think. He slept in my quarters and then left before I woke up. He helped me steal some change off from one of my clients that didn’t pay the fair amount for the services I gave.”

 

“That sounds like Hangeng,” Onew said.

 

“We can’t be certain, though.” Minho  needed more than a bow and arrow to be sure.

 

“Thank you, sorry for disappointing, but we’ll be on our way,” Minho  said with a slight bow.

 

They turned to leave just as a boy, probably a watch boy, ran inside screaming. “The royal guards! They’re here, run!”

 

It was a rush of naked women and pantless men and then suddenly just the thumping of heavy booted feet. The guards stopped a few feet before them then pointed at Kai.

 

“There he is,” the guard said holding up a hand drawn WANTED poster of Kai. “Get him and his friends and bring them to the castle.”

 

Minho  only hand time to hold Taemin close in a quick hug before they were pulled apart and all five were dragged out of the brothel, the fairies still hidden in Seunghyun’s cloak. Kai looked terrified and unsure as they were pulled out and Minho  wondered what the young thief had done to get him a wanted poster. Certainly not for mere thievery that wasn’t even within the kingdom’s grounds.

 

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆** `

 

 

They were loaded on the back of a cart and carried off to the palace. The moment the guards had let go of Taemin, he had buried his face in Minho’s chest alternating between nuzzling him and glaring at the guards. Minho  nuzzled back and tried to whisper comforting words to his fiancé, but the guards yelled at them if they spoke and he couldn’t even hold the younger prince because the guards had tied their hands behind their backs.

 

Once inside the palace gates, the guards removed the restraints and shepherded them off the cart and made them line up, Kai at the front before leading them inside. Minho  had guessed they would be led to the dungeons until they were allowed to talk to someone in which Minho  planned to speak his mind about the guards not listening to their protests. They had four prince’s in their midst and dared to treat them like this? The thief kept his head down. Minho  tried to think of something he could say to help the boy out of punishment, but if his thievery warranted him a wanted poster in this kingdom then Minho  could find anyway of getting him out of trouble. He was surprised, though, when they were instead led through lavishly decorated halls that Minho presumed meant they were headed to the Sultan’s quarters. They stopped at large double doors. A servant bowed to them then opened the doors and called inside.

 

“You Highness, the thief is here.”

 

The guards pushed them inside what Minho  figured was the Sultan’s personal throne room. It was small but elegant. Draperies hung from the ceiling and the walls and there were tables filled with snacks and games close to where the throne was placed with the prince seated on it. He was pretty, Minho  could agree with Kai on that. He had a baby face and he would have though him just a boy if Kai hadn’t said he was older. Minho  felt movement and looked to the side to see another man picking happily at the food with chubby cheeks but he wasn’t chubby. He seemed to be something more than a servant with the way he was dressed, but the silver shackles on his wrists made it impossible for Minho  to guess.

 

Minho’s attention was pulled back to the group when he felt Kai fall onto his hands and knees in front of him, bowing as low as possible before the Sultan. Minho  stretched out his arms  before going onto one knee and bowing as well. A Sultan was a king which meant the boy before them deserved more than a courtesy bow, but as low as Kai bowed was too much. Taemin, Onew, and Seunghyun followed suit.

 

“Oh, the thief was with friends? And they seem like quite special friends, they bow like princes,” said the Sultan.

 

Minho stood and bowed from the waist. “We are princes your highness. It seems there was a mix up and we’d like to converse about this.”

 

“All four of you are princes?” the Sultan asked.

 

“Yes,” Minho  said and began gesturing toward the others. “My fiancé and brother-in-law and his fiancé.”

 

“Oops, Luhan, you should have been more careful about capturing him. Now you have to deal with princes,” said the other man in the room.

 

“I realize that Xiumin. I should just have had you do it,” the Sultan said then turned to address them again. “I’m sorry you were mixed up in this, but you are all engaged, why visit a brideless Sultan?”

 

“I’m afraid it will sound rude, but we didn’t come to visit you it seems. We simply came to acquire about a person. Since this person has interest with our safety we thought it best to search for him first before coming to indulge in your hospitality,” Onew said speaking up.

 

“Oh, that’s fine then,” the Sultan said. “And you don’t have to talk like that to me. I may be what you call a king and therefore over you, but we’re friends of the same age, just call me Luhan.”

 

“Then, Luhan, why were you looking for Kai?” Taemin asked.

 

The Sultan straightened in his throne and looked down at the still bowing and slightly shaking Kai. “Don’t be so afraid, young thief, I just meant to scare you a little. You don’t steal within my boundaries so I don’t really care, but I hear you have a certain ability that I would find useful for a certain task. I will make sure it’s worth your wild.”

 

Kai peaked up at the Sultan before looking down at the carpeted floor again. “I’ll do anything for my ruler. I am your servant, if you mean to punish me I will take it if our angelic Sultan believes I am in need of it.”

 

The Sultan laughed softly. “Angelic you say. I did say I only meant to scare you, I won’t punish you. I want to ask a favor, will you do it?”

 

“Yes, no matter what it is,” Kai answered. “For the Sultan I love so dearly I’ll do as you wish.”

 

“Love? Yes, the citizens love their ruler I suppose,” Luhan said and settled back in his chair. “He looks so pitiful down there. Someone get him on his feet.”

 

Kai shook his head. “I am not worthy to stand before your Highness.”

 

“I said stand, Kai.”

 

Minho  bent down to help Kai stand finding it strange how the thief, so confident before, became like a child before Luhan. Was it really because he held that much admiration in his love for the Sultan? The Sultan smiled at Kai until their eyes meant and he looked away. Minho  quirked a brow seeing a tinge of pink on Luhan’s cheeks and he peaked at Taemin to see his fiancé had noticed the same thing.

 

“It might be dangerous. There is a cave in the desert that will only allow those who have true and innocent hearts in, which there are many such men and women, I’m sure these four princes before me could enter as well if their hands have stayed clean only for each other, but there is something inside that cave I need and only a diamond in the rough can retrieve it. I believe that diamond is you, Thief Kai, a thief who has such morals as you, I’ve heard of them of you. Will you retrieve it for me? Will you retrieve the Genie of the Lamp?”

 

Minho  watched as Kai finally stared directly at the Sultan with an unwavering determined gaze. “I’ll retrieve any treasure no matter the danger for you.”


	21. A Diamond in the Rough

**Chapter 21 – A Diamond In the Rough**

 

 

Minho made sure to bring plenty of water this time as they made their way through the desert accompanying Kai. It was the fairies’ idea to come along wanting to see a desert cave full of promised treasure for the first time in their tiny lives. They had influenced Taemin into convincing the group by saying that it would be too dangerous for Taemin’s new friend to go along alone even though Onew and Kai both insisted he’d be fine on his own. The Sultan had given them a map and said they should be back before the sun began to set, but by the almost invisible landmarks they’d passed by, Minho  didn’t trust them not to get lost. He was going to make sure Taemin didn’t have a heatstroke again.  

 

Taemin cuddled against Minho’s chest as they made their way through the desert, holding up the back of the group which consisted of two added guards alongside their six and Kai. Onew had originally led the group, but after many stops to stare hopelessly at the complex map the Sultan’s friend, Xiumin, had drawn up, he finally handed it over to Kai to lead. It seemed the landmarks were things only he as a thief could spot.

 

The sun was already high in the sky by the time Kai came to a stop, rolling the map back up. Minho  looked around the area but only saw flat gold desert, no cave to be seen. “Is this it?”

 

Kai didn’t answer. He walked a little ahead of the group and dusted the ground at his feet until he had uncovered a large circle of small pebbles. “Yeah, we’re here.”

 

“It doesn’t look much like a cave,” Minho  heard Key say from beneath Taemin’s shirt, the fairies still hiding, not wanting to be noticed by the guards. Kai had told them fairies didn’t exist as far as his kingdom was concerned and so the small creatures should stay hidden if they didn’t want to get mistaken as food or taken as an exotic pet.

 

“It doesn’t really look like a cave,” Minho  called out to Kai, repeating the fairy’s words.

 

“I feel magic coming form it though,” the witch fairy continued.

 

“I feel it, too,” Jonghyun added.

 

“The guards need to stay back,” Kai said. “Someone should stay out here with the guards.”

 

“I’ll stay,” Seunghyun offered.

 

“I’m not going to leave you here by yourself,” Onew argued.

 

The swan prince just smiled and Minho  could here him whisper to the older prince. “Your brother is going to go in there no matter what, which means Minho  will go with him, and I know you’re not going to let them be alone together. The fairies can stay with me. I don’t think they could enter anyways from what I was told of their past and also their magic and curse could interfere.”

 

Onew agreed and Minho  dismounted his horse before helping Taemin down.

 

“Alright, you guys can back me up encase anything goes wrong or seems fishy. The Sultan said you could take whatever you wanted, too.”

 

Onew shook his head. “We don’t need these riches; we’ll just retrieve what your Sultan wants.”

 

“I wonder what he could want with a genie,” Taemin said.

 

“I’m sure it’s not a real genie, they don’t exist,” Minho  said. Sure he had seen mermaids and fairies, but those were living creatures that died after a certain amount of time. They weren’t bound to someone by wishes, forced into life or sleep by a person’s simple whims of want and need.

 

“Where’s the cave though?” Seunghyun asked.

 

Kai was still brushing off the pebbles that made up the circular stone platform. He stood up  and stared at the small rock for a moment before kicking one of them up, moving it out of its place and the structure suddenly lit up. Kai rushed off it as the ground where the stone were bulged and rose until the face of a monster suddenly appeared like a monument before them, mouth gaping leading to a dark entrance.

 

Minho  turned to the guards. “We’ll be back soon. We’re leaving our Seunghyun here so keep him safe.”

 

“Of course,” one of the guards said, but his voice was bored and they both seemed displeased with being out here with them.

 

Onew pulled his sword from his side and handed it to Seunghyun with words of ‘be careful’ and ‘encase they try to touch you’. Minho  couldn’t help but smile a bit seeing the older boy being tender to someone for once. He wondered if Onew was usually like that and if, once he and Taemin were married and he was use to them, if he would be the same way to Minho.

 

“I’m going in,” Kai said approaching the mouth of the cave.

 

Minho  took Taemin’s hand, squeezing it tight and they followed the young thief into the cave, Onew bringing up the back. As soon as they had all stepped inside the cave, the mouth closed leaving them in complete darkness. Taemin clung to Minho’s chest and Minho  held him back just as hard. He felt Onew press his hand to his back probably looking for Taemin. A few seconds later, a scratching noise started and both brothers were clinging to him.

 

“Kai…where are you?” he asked into the darkness.

 

The scratching continued until suddenly a dim orange light filtered from beside them and into the room.

 

“Sorry it took so long, I’m not so great with fire,” Kai said standing up with a small torch. “I always carry a couple of these with me.”

 

“Where do you put them?” Taemin asked, eyes wide.

 

“In my cloak, I keep a lot of things in my cloak,” the thief explained then proceeded down the dark sandy hall of the cave entrance.

 

“Onew…you can let go of the back of my shirt now,” Minho  said still feeling the elder clinging to him. Taemin still clinging was just an excuse to be close to his fiancé and maybe grope him a bit, but Minho  couldn’t understand what was wrong with Onew.

 

“If you dare tell Seunghyun I don’t deal well with sudden pitch blackness I will kill you,” the older prince promised.

 

Minho  just nodded and allowed Onew to continue to hold the back of his shirt as they followed Kai.

 

Inside, the cave was plain, just walls of sand that glittered with the light of Kai’s torch. Minho  wasn’t sure how anything was held up and kept Taemin close to him as they continued down the tunnel. They came to a door without hinges, just stuck in a wall of sand. Kai only had to touch it for it to open and allow them into a room full of treasures. Piles of gold were stacked high. Jewels stuck out of the sand walls and toppled out of chests. In the middle of the room stood a tall marble pillar that reached stories high. At the top was a gold dusty lamp.

 

“How are you going to get up there?” Taemin asked.

 

“Looks like he’s already figured that out,” Onew said pointing toward where the thief had walked off to.

 

Kai stabbed the torch into the sandy ground and pulled a long gold rod out from the piles of gold and moved over to the pillar. He dropped his cloak to reveal lean but visible muscles on his pale gold skin and reached out for the pillar. The pillar was thin enough for him to wrap his legs around and the gold rod helped compensate for his arms as well as extra support as he began moving up the pillar, pushing his body with pure strength, muscles rippling and Minho  could see sweat pouring off his body onto the sand below the higher he got.

 

“He’s pretty strong,” Taemin said.

 

Minho  looked down to see Taemin grinning up at him, teasing. He just yanked his fiancé’s hair lightly to tell him it wasn’t time to get him all riled up.

 

After a few more minutes, Kai had reached the top. Onew had finally let go of Minho’s shirt and he could feel the older prince move about. There was the clinking of coins and Minho  turned to see Onew’s feet buried in a toppled over pile of coins.

 

“Sorry, my fault. I just wanted to see if they had any particular kingdom’s mark on them.”

 

“Do they?” Minho  asked.

 

Onew moved away from the pile and wiped off his shoes. “No, they’re just gold.”

 

“I’ve got it. Minho, Taemin, will you hold out my robe for it. The Sultan said only I could touch it, but I have to get down,” Kai called from the top of the pillar.

 

They both moved forward to grab the thief’s cloak, spreading it out. Onew stood a bit to the side, arms out as if to catch Kai.

 

“Dropping it,” Kai said and the gold lamp fell with a bounce into Kai’s robe.

 

Minho  and Taemin laid the robe out and backed away watching Kai come down much quicker than he had gone up, sliding down the pillar. He picked up the lamp and wrapped his robe messily back around him. Onew moved to retrieve the torch Kai had put down.

 

“Let’s hurry out of here,” Minho  said.

 

He heard coins toppling and turned his head. “Onew, was that you?”

 

“No, I’m not anywhere near the treasure,” replied the older prince.

 

Taemin was beside him so Minho  knew it wasn’t him. He looked around again and thought he saw shadows moving around the room and then the edge of a cloak.

 

“Is there someone in here?” he called out.

 

No answer, just more falling coins and then footsteps rushing around the dimly lit room and to the opened door.

 

“Hey, wait!” Kai called out and ran. Minho  followed after and could only grab hold of the back of Kai’s robe and pull him out from the doorway as it collapsed. The room rumbled and sand started to seep down from the ceiling, filling it like the bottom of an hour glass.

 

“What’s going on?” Onew commanded. “How come the door disappeared? Why can’t we get out, I have to get back to Seunghyun.”

 

“Someone got in that wasn’t supposed to,” Kai said and dusted his black cloak off with his free hand.

 

“How could they get in?” Taemin asked. “Aren’t only people with innocent hearts allowed in?”  
  


“Magic,” Minho  offered. “If the door was opened, they could have just teleported in using us as an anchor.”

 

“If it was magic, then that wasn’t Hangeng,” Taemin said.

 

Minho  hadn’t thought about the thief following them to the cave, but Taemin was right, it couldn’t have been him if magic was involved or else Hangeng would have escaped Siwon’s prison for sooner. He must still not have noticed he didn’t have the glass slipper.

 

“What are we going to do, I can’t leave Seunghyun a widow when we aren’t even married yet,” Onew said his voice becoming panicked.

 

Taemin  moved and hugged his brother. “It’ll be alright. Seunghyun’s up there with Key. They must have noticed something’s wrong by now and they’re trying to find some spell to get us out of here.”

 

“Why did the cave start collapsing when that person left, though? Shouldn’t it have closed when they came in?” Minho  pointed out.

 

“The Sultan said we could take whatever we wanted, but they weren’t supposed to be here. They must have taken something,” Taemin deducted. Minho  thought it made sense. Whoever it was must have heard about the treasure and came to steal some for their self.

 

Kai sat on the sandy ground. Minho  stared at him as he twisted the gold lamp around in his hands. “What are you doing?”

 

Kai looked up at him and shrugged. “Just making sure it’s in good condition. It’s all dusty, I don’t really know why the Sultan wants it.”

 

“Are there any jewels on it? Is it real gold?” Onew suggested.

 

“It might be real gold, but no jewels,” Kai answered. “It looks like there’s some wording here, though.” He lifted the sleeve of his cloak and started to wipe the side of the lamp. There was a pop and a few sparks lit up the end of the lamp before it settled back down.

 

“Is it lit?” Minho  asked confused by the sudden light.

 

Kai lifted the top only to find it empty and rubbed it more. Suddenly smoke appeared from the end of the lamp slowly twisting and turning, filling the slowly drowning room of sand and then compressing into the form of a dragon. Minho  pushed both Taemin and Onew behind him, his fiancé still clinging to his distressed brother, and pulled out his sword. The dragon roared, large orange eyes blazing into Minho’s  and his chest felt tight. A dragon…he wasn’t ready for a dragon.

 

The creature turned its head toward Kai and seemed to bow.

 

“H-hi,” Kai said and waved at the dragon a bit.

 

The creature stared at the thief for a minute longer before puffing out a cloud of smoke and began to shrink. Minho’s eyes widened as it took on the form of a man just a little taller himself with blonde hair in simple clothing of a white shirt and breeches. He raised a hand and ran it through his hair and Minho  caught sight of the gold cuffs around his wrists.

 

“I am Kris, the genie of the lamp. You are Kai? You’re my master now, how may I serve you?” the man asked.

 

Minho  reached out when he felt Taemin let go of Onew and try to walk toward the genie. He grabbed his fiancé’s wrist and held him back. Taemin pouted.

 

“I’ve never seen a genie up close. Let me see him, Minho.”

 

Minho  shook his head. “That’s not the best idea, I don’t think it’s safe.”

 

There was a chuckle and Minho’s eyes meant the amber of the genie’s.

 

“Your fiancé is right. If a pretty thing like you shouldn’t come close to a genie that has just been summoned,” the genie said and then turned back to Kai. “No, if you would, make a wish, you have three, so speak carefully.”

 

“I think you have it wrong,” Kai said. “You aren’t supposed to be mine, but my Sultan’s.”

 

The genie chuckled again. “That’s how it always is. The rich men send a poor man to retrieve a rarity. I’ll guess that you were just trying to clean me? Yes, that simple act suggests you’re worthy of wishes. Now come, we can’t stay here long, it’s filling up like an hour glass in here.”

 

Kai looked toward them and Minho  could only shrug. They did need to get out of here after all. Kai nodded and turned back to the genie.

 

“I’ll make one wish, genie, and then I’ll hand you over to my Sultan.”

 

“Do as you like, just know I will only fulfill your wishes.”

 

Kai frowned, but nodded. “I wish for us to get back to our friends waiting outside this cave safely.”

 

The genie smiled and nodded. He shifted back into his dragon form and lay upon the ground. “Get on my back,” he rumbled.

 

Minho  allowed the others on first before taking up a spot at the end holding onto the large scales of the dragon genie. Kris flapped his wings and the sand started to come down heavier, dusting their clothes with gold. A white glow covered them all and the dragon rose then headed straight toward the sand ceiling. As they broke through, Minho  swore never to leave the ground again, his stomach lurching with the force as the ascended into the desert sky and then back down to where Seunghyun cowered in a protective circle of their horses, the guards unconscious on the ground outside of the deflated pebble circle.

 

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

 

Seunghyun didn’t know who had come out of the cave only that they had shot off magic at the guards and Key only had time to get the horses around Seunghyun as a split second hiding place for the prince before they were gone on one of the guard’s horses. Key didn’t want to attempt putting magic after them encase they were a witch themselves and he needed to focus on getting Onew and the others out of the cave. The moment the genie landed before them the witch fairy had let out a relieved breath as he had figured out that the magic protecting the circle was not something he could control. It was old and dependent on will of a magic entity. It seemed that will was the genie himself.

 

Onew immediately pulled Seunghyun into his arms and kissed him desperately. Minho  held Taemin to him more for steadying purposes than just wanting to hold him as his legs felt like jelly after flying dragon back. The genie agreed to help them get back to the Sultan’s castle without using a wish and they loaded the unconscious guards on the dragon’s back until they woke up half way back and got on the horse. Kris hid back into his lamp once they were close enough to town.

 

At the Sultan’s palace, night already descended upon them just as Minho  had guessed it would, they were greeted with trumpets blaring and a procession of dancers and guards to lead them to the Sultan’s throne room. Luhan sat on his throne, slightly more dressed up in cream robes and jewelry from head to two holding what resembled a large perfume bottle. He smiled at them and bowed his head. They bowed as well, Kai still flattening himself completely to the floor, lamp held out in his hands toward the Sultan.

 

“My most honorable ruler, I have returned with the treasure you asked me to seek. Please take it as you wish,” Kai said.

 

Luhan stepped down from his throne, still carrying the bottle in one hand. He knelt down before Kai and lightly touched the lamp, tilting his head. “It seems he already has a master.”

 

Kai peeked up and Minho  could see the fear in his eyes. The fear of disappointment. It seemed as if he tried to bow even lower, to become one with the floor.

 

“Please forgive me. I only meant to clean it for your Highness. You should only have the best things and I couldn’t bring this to you dusty and covered in sand. I didn’t not mean to summon him.”

 

Luhan laughed lightly and placed a hand on one of Kai’s. “It is fine if he has a Master. Actually, it is great. Someone who becomes the master of a genie without meaning to is very special. A diamond in the rough indeed; my diamond.”

 

The Sultan moved his hand and lifted Kai’s face forcing him to look at him. “Call him out, please, my Kai.”

 

Minho  pushed Taemin back when Kai nodded and reluctantly lifted himself off the floor. He didn’t want Taemin or he to be anywhere near Kris if he came out as a dragon again.

 

Kai rubbed the lamp and smoked filtered out taking on the shape of a human Kris, not the spectacle the genie had caused the first time he had emerged. Luhan smiled at the genie and then held the bottle out toward him. He rubbed the base and the top popped open, the man from before materializing from the light mist that escaped the bottle – Xiumin. The genie of the lamp’s eyes widened upon seeing the other genie stretch and yawn before having the same expression that quickly morphed into a smile.

 

“Ah, Kris, so they were able to find you after all,” Xiumin greeted his fellow genie.

 

The only response the lamp genie gave was to embrace the other and kiss him. Minho  jumped a bit not expecting the sight and looked down to see his fiancé smiling, cuddling up to his side.

 

“Genie love,” Taemin said softly.

 

Minho  nodded smiling a bit at how nothing seemed to phase his fiancé.

 

The Sultan turned back to Kai. “You see, Xiumin has been my companion since my parents died. He was a gift given to me by a traveler that caught me one day when I snuck out of the castle when I was first given the position as Sultan. I didn’t want all the power and responsibility. When I accidentally made Xiumin appear I wished for my parents to be alive again, but of course I can’t wish for those departed to exist once more. I can not wish for things that are not of this world. Then I wished to be with my parents. He told me I could not wish for things to go to another world either. No death, no life. I wished for the strength to be a good Sultan, I wished for peace and prosperity on our land for a millennium. After that, there was no longer anything to wish for and I soon learned of Xiumin’s lost love. Being a genie is a curse. Cursed lovers separated but never dead for hundred, thousands, of years. I decided I would find the genie of the lamp and then I would let them both free. They will always be genies and live forever, but they could at least be with each other for that eternity.”

 

Minho  stared at the two embracing genies. He couldn’t imagine being alive and without Taemin for centuries, but he knew what it was like to be cursed. He held Taemin closer.

 

Luhan stood and stepped back a few steps before bowing before Kai. The thief seemed surprised and waved his hands at the Sultan as if to get him to stop.

 

“Kai, use your first to wishes as you like. You don’t even have to waist them on money, I’ll give you that myself, just please, use your third to set Kris free,” the Sultan asked.

 

Kai looked over at them as if to ask for help. Minho  didn’t know what to do for the younger boy and only shrugged.

 

“I…I don’t need a wish. I already used one to save us because the cave collapsed,” Kai admitted.

 

The Sultan looked up distressed by the though. “Oh, I’m sorry.” He bowed again, this time getting on his knees before Kai and the thief finally actually touched his Sultan to try and get him to stand.

 

“Please, please, use your third wish to set him free so they can be together. Use your second to ask for anything and then set him free,” the Sultan begged.

 

“Your Highness…I…you don’t have to beg, I’ll do anything you ask. But, I don’t have a wish. I’m fine on my own, I don’t need riches and you’ve already wished for the good of our kingdom, what more could I wish for?”

 

The Sultan lifted his head and stared at Kai. “You have no wish at all?”

 

Kai looked at them, looked between Minho  and Taemin, Onew and Seunghyun, the two fairies peaking out of Seunghyun’s robes, even at the two genies and then sighed. “If you can’t wish for life and can’t wish for death then you can’t wish for love either.”

 

“You can’t wish for a specific person to love you,” Kris affirmed.

 

Kai grinned. “I couldn’t have wished for it anyways.”

 

“What, who would you have wished for?” the Sultan asked.

 

Minho  grinned knowing.

 

“For my Sultan. I’d do anything for you.”

 

The Sultan shook his head and stood, bringing Kai up with him. “You don’t have to wish for that. Had you asked for riches I would have given you the position beside me if it meant for you to stay. The diamond in the rough is definitely the person I have been holding out on to marry.”

 

Minho  would have laughed at the surprised but happy look that crossed the thief’s face. “Then I really have no wish.”

 

Kai turned to them keeping a cautious hand on the Sultan’s shoulder. “Do one of you have a wish? I could wish it for you.”

 

Minho  held Taemin to him tightly. “I already have everything I could wish for.”

 

“Same here,” Onew said and Seunghyun snuggled into him.

 

Key made and X with his hands and pushed Jonghyun back into the robes when he tried to speak up.

 

“I…I have one,” Taemin  said and pulled away from Minho. He watched his fiancé walk toward Kai and whisper in his ear his wish. Kai nodded and let go of the Sultan to approach Kris. He whispered Taemin’s wish into the genie’s ear and Kris nodded, waving his hand with a smile. Taemin hopped back into Minho’s arms looking satisfied.

 

“What did you wish for?” he asked.

 

“It’s a secret for now.”

 

Minho  frowned but didn’t press it. Maybe it was just to have sex no less than every three days for all he knew.

 

Luhan walked beside Kai and held out his bottle toward Xiumin. Kai copied him.

 

“I want them to be free as soon as possible,” Luhan said. “And then we can celebrate the announcement of our engagement, yes?”

 

Kai nodded and smiled. “I’ll do whatever you ask of me.”

 

“I wish you your freedom,” they both said.

 

The genies embraced harder as smoke and mist swirled around them. The cuffs on their wrists vibrating before breaking off, silver and gold dissolving into sand the moment they touched the floor.

 


	22. On Full Moons

**Chapter 22 – On Full Moons**

 

 

They left late the next morning after a small night long party in celebration of the Sultan’s engagement. Minho  and Onew talked through the engagement as their fiancés danced about their plans. Since they knew Hangeng not to practice magic, they could suppose the archer the prostitutes had housed was not their archer and the witch in the cave was indeed only a witch. They thought it best to hurry home and so were give two guards and a wagon for their journey back to Aurora for the trouble the Sultan had caused them.

 

They went slightly east not wanting to past by Seunghyun’s kingdom as Onew feared his fiancé’s uncle might try something again. They had come to an understanding, Onew and Minho, that the older prince was in as much of a hurry to marry his fiancé as Minho  was to marry Taemin. Minho  had decided that once they were halfway back to Aurora he would send a message to his own kingdom to tell his parents of his good fortune to they could make arrangements to attend his wedding for he didn’t think Taemin would wait to travel to the Eastern kingdom to marry.

 

The glass slipper was stored safely in a bag filled with silks that Luhan had given them as a present held tightly in Taemin’s arms who sat beside Minho  at all times whether he rode in the back of the wagon or he was taking his turn leading their three horses they had pitched to the front. Often when they found themselves in the back of the wagon, Taemin would look up at him with mischievous brown eyes and cuddle into Minho. Sometimes he would risk a kiss which Minho  never minded and returned the small gesture of affection even if Onew did glare at him if he caught them, but other times Taemin would put down the bag and take a blanket, throwing it over the both of them and demand to be kissed senseless. The younger prince even went so far as to slide a hand down Minho’s pants as his brother slept soundly with his mate, the guards now in charge of driving the wagon. Then he replaced his hand with his mouth. And it was so warm and wet that Minho  couldn’t help but let a couple moans out. Of course he had to return the favor, but only used his hands under the blanket, blushing as he caught the guards taking glances over at them. Taemin really was too much, but Minho  found himself loving the younger prince more everyday.

 

The same couldn’t be said for the fairies, however. The fairy prince had not said anything that wasn’t to start a fight to Key in days if he did talk at all. Since they had left Yesung’s kingdom, there had not been another passion filled night. Key was unsure whether Jonghyun’s sour mood was because of that (in which case he would snap the prince fairy over the head with his scepter if he was moody because of no sex, he should feel lucky that Key even allowed those last to times to happen), or if it was something else. They were forced to be quiet and stay hidden. The guards still did not know of their existence and neither of the fairies felt they could trust the desert men with that secret. For the most part they stayed hidden under the seat of the wagon or in Seunghyun’s or Taemin’s robes.

 

Key wasn’t sure what to do with Jonghyun now. They were north bound; close enough to Jonghyun’s kingdom to be caught for surely the fairies at Yesung’s palace couldn’t keep their mouths quiet about the cursed fairy traveling with one of the few fairy witches and some princes. It wouldn’t take them long to realize who this cursed fairy was if the news got back to Jonghyun’s castle. Key could only hope that the kingdom had deemed Jonghyun as a runaway and not worth bringing back being a low prince, almost as likely to succeed the king as the fat old kitchen maid. And surely that ‘princess had gotten her a rightful ‘prince’ already (and Key hoped he was only a prince by title and actually went to one of the only two fairy whorehouses in this country only a mile away every weekend because that would fit her right, a cheating husband for a whore of a wife).

 

For a while, Key had thought they were ‘okay’. Jonghyun had explained his situation with the princess already and Key…he wasn’t sure what was meant from his side. He still didn’t quite believe Jonghyun unless the fairy prince was inside him whispering ‘love, love, love’ into his ears, then he believed him and almost trusted him enough to let the curse go. What was the point in lifting it anyways? He wasn’t even sure if he could anymore, at least not the beastly parts of Jonghyun. He had altered his appearance for over a year now and Key was quite use to how he looked.

 

Jonghyun shifted in his spot a few centimeters from Key which was a great distance compare to their small bodies. The cursed fairy wiggled his torso, face contorted until finally he just spread his large dark green wings, the span the length of their bodies put together, and reached a hand behind him to scratch at the base of his wings. Jonghyun’s face eased up and he smiled in satisfaction moving his hand to itch at other spots on the scaly wings. It was unattractive watching Jonghyun scratch himself, but somehow still cute. Key had no control over the swell of his chest or the tug of his lips at the site.

 

Jonghyun’s eyes suddenly met his and Key looked away. He felt nervous. There was a lamp in the wagon, but the light from it didn’t reach under the bench seat, but it was still bright enough for Key to see every line of Jonghyun’s face and Key was afraid he could be seen too as he tried to hide in the shadows. If the trees of the wooded not quite swampy area they had entered let up, the light of the full moon would definitely alight his face.

 

The full moon, Key stiffened at the thought.

 

“Kibum,” Jonghyun began.

 

Key continued to face away, hand moving to hold onto his scepter beside him.

 

“Kibum, it’s a full moon.”

 

“So,” Key said and gripped his scepter tighter.

 

“Change me back Kibum,” Jonghyun said. It wasn’t a request, but it never was. Jonghyun said this every full moon and Key always had the same answer.

 

“No.”

 

“Why? Kibum, we’re almost back home, we’ve had a crazy journey, change me back.”

 

“I don’t want to…you’re…you’re mind,” Key said. He was, Jonghyun was his, and he had marked him.

 

Jonghyun sighed. Was he angry? But Jonghyun loved Key still, he said so every time the witch fairy fell prey to his beastly side. It wasn’t just to get inside him; Key denied that with all hope that it was true.

 

“Yes, Kibum, I’m yours, I’ve always been yours, so please, lift the curse.”

 

“Then what, Jonghyun? What will you do if I lift the curse? Go back to your kingdom? You know I can’t follow you there, they’ll throw me in the cellar and trialed for kidnapping and cursing a prince. If you go back, you’ll abandon me.” Key turned his whole body away from Jonghyun and lifted the scepter to his chest. He was surprised to feel a hand softly land on his back, but didn’t turn to look at its owner.

 

“I won’t go back then. Lift the curse and I’ll follow you anywhere, Kibum.” Jonghyun’s voice was low, almost soft, but still carried a deep rumble. Key trembled under the wait of his tone. It wasn’t the tone of an underlying threat but a promise. Key was scared of that promise, scared the fairy he loved would break his promise again, this time of his own means.

 

“What would have happened had I not walked in, Jonghyun? You said you didn’t have sex with her, but she was about force you, what would have happened if I didn’t curse you?”

 

“K-Kibum.” His voice wavered and Key could feel tears form in his eyes.

 

“I see…and if she ended up pregnant you would have married her.”

 

“If she wasn’t pregnant I would marry you. Please Kibum, look at me,” Jonghyun said, hand firmly grasped onto Key’s shoulder trying to pull him to look at him.

 

The witch fairy lifted a hand to wipe his eyes then turned a glare on Jonghyun. “I can’t lift your curse, Jonghyun. We’re not like them,” he pointed his scepter toward the two curled up human couples. “We have nothing to prove that we’re destined lovers, true love. They came together to break a curse, a curse is the only thing keeping _us_ together.”

 

“No, Kibum, I love you. That’s what’s keeping us together. I could have left long ago if it was just the curse. You don’t watch me as carefully as you think. If it was really that horrible being with you, I would have killed myself. Your curse says nothing about that.”

 

“Then if I lift the curse, it’s just love and you could easily fall in love with anyone else, any other pretty creature you see,” Key said. “I can’t trust you, Jonghyun, I love you, but there’s nothing to secure that I can trust you.”

 

The witch fairy curled up in his corner under the seat, scepter cradled to his chest and face buried in his knees. Jonghyun’s hand was on his shoulder again.

 

“I hurt you that much, huh?”

 

Key just nodded. “You’ve always been an idiot. I fell in love with an idiot. You can’t trust idiot princes.”

 

Jonghyun chuckled and his hand moved to Key’s hair. “I suppose you can’t. Kibum, let’s compromise.”

 

Key slowly looked up. Compromise, Jonghyun had never brought that up and Key definitely wasn’t going to. “What?”

 

“I’ll keep the wings, the markings. I’ll continue looking like a beast among our kind. They mark that I’m yours and I’ve grown to quite like these wings, they’re helpful. But, please Kibum, I don’t want to hurt anyone anymore. Take the rest away. I can be helpful with these wings, like in the swamp, I could fly to find Ryeowook, but I almost attacked him, made him fall to his death. That split second of control I had to turn around, I could have just as easily lost it and gone at him. Just that, please lift just that.”

 

Jonghyun placed his head on Key’s shoulder. The tips of his brown hair brushed against the witch fairy’s neck, soft. Key stared down at the back of his head and a slow smile began to spread on his lips. He tilted his head and laid it against Jonghyun’s.

 

“Where will we go then? You can’t go back to your kingdom as a prince looking like that.”

 

Key gasped as lips pressed against his skin, Jonghyun’s hair brushing his hair more with the movement. “We’ll go with them; we can fly between their two kingdoms much faster than they could ride.”

 

Key chuckled and gasped as more kisses were pressed against his neck. “A prince reduced to a messenger.”

 

“I was never much of a prince, or much of a lover. Being your lover, though, was something I’ve always wanted. If I had to give up one to work hard on the other, I rather it be you. I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to get you to trust me again, Kibum.”

 

Jonghyun lifted his head and Key stared into his eyes before reaching out to cup the other fairy’s face. “When these two couples are finally together again in their kingdoms, I’ll lift it, I’ll lift the curse that makes you hurt others, but in return you have to remain my beast.”

 

Jonghyun nodded a smile on his lips as he leaned over Key making the witch fairy lean back until he was pressed against the bottom of the wagon under the seat. “And in return, you will be my only beauty.”

 

Key nodded, no time to respond with words as Jonghyun’s lips descended on his own. He pressed back, body warming up with the promised pleasure he knew this would lead to. It was a full moon after all, the day every month that Jonghyun’s curse made him the most beastly and he attacked Key in the most delicious way possible. The witch fairy couldn’t say much as Jonghyun began to tear his clothes from his body and press rough kisses to his skin, he could only laugh, moan, and shush the rumbles of heated growls coming from Jonghyun as he lost himself in the curse and the need to take the beautiful creature under him.

 

It was quick work, but Key lay there hot with a smile on his lips. He was week to Jonghyun’s words, always had been, and he felt beautiful with his mouth descending all over his body, he felt like Jonghyun meant it when he said he was the most beautiful in his eyes. He loved this feeling, so, selfishly, he couldn’t let Jonghyun go so easy, he needed that leash, but he’d compromise. Key would compromise if it meant he could feel…that, yes, the other tasting him, licking the areas he was only allowed access to with anything he wanted – his tongue, his fingers, his member. Key’s body rocked hard as Jonghyun finally entered him and kissed him senseless, until pain was pleasure and pleasure was pain. The witch fairy wrapped his arms around Jonghyun’s neck and moved with him, arching and moaning silently into the night until, reflecting pearl with the light of the full moon that reached under the bench, milky liquid spilled between their bodies and inside Key.

 

Spent and drenched in sweat, Key held Jonghyun’s head to his chest as the other recovered and slowly started a second round.

 

Key didn’t know if Jonghyun was his true love or not, but he never wanted to find out. Jonghyun was his.

 

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

 

 

They traveled until they reached a small mountain range that separated the East kingdoms from the rest of the country. The only road that did not lead too close to Seunghyun’s kingdom and put them in danger of meeting with his uncle went through the mountain range, through the valley between them and up for a day until they met a small village where they could stop and water the horses. That was their goal for the morning as they all cuddled around a campfire, Taemin and Minho  taking the wagon after the others had fallen asleep during Minho’s watch with the fairies to make love quickly at the younger prince’s insistent request. 

 

They woke early with the mindset that they would have a nice warm hotel room by the night (promises of more love making being whispered into Minho’s ear as he led the horses first, onto the path through the mountains). It was a large valley, flat from the rainy season that had just passed through and washed away any marks of horseshoes or feet as the valley flooded, water trapped between the mountains. It was dry now, but also seemed to have been deserted for some time.

 

Taemin scooted closer to Minho  as they sat at the front of the wagon only a few hours into the trip. The younger prince had been looking around suspiciously since they pulled onto the sandy road from the clove of trees that intersected into the mountain range. Minho  looked down at his fiancé curiously wondering what was wrong, Taemin was usually fairly happy and carefree.

 

“Taemin?”

 

“Eyes…someone’s watching us.”

 

Minho  frowned. It had been a while since he’d heard Taemin say those words, not since they’d found the glass slipper still in their position, forgotten by the younger prince in a hide away bag.

 

“Who’s watching us, Taemin.”

 

Taemin shrugged. “I don’t know…two pairs of eyes. One of them feels really big.”

 

Minho  lifted his head and looked around, peaking into the mountains as far as he could.

 

“What’s wrong?” Onew asked.

 

“Nothing,” Minho  said. He didn’t see anything suspicious in the mountains.

 

“Eyes,” Taemin said. “Something’s watching us.”  
  


“The prince is just being paranoid. There are probably vultures wanting more food. All the animals that drowned in the floods are eaten up already,” said one of the guards, riding their horses beside the cart.

 

Minho  thought that made sense, but he could see with how Taemin’s head tilted down, that he wasn’t convinced.

 

They continued for a while loner until a chill ran up Minho’s spine and he looked up to the bright blue sky. He saw something flapping up high. It must just be a vulture.

 

“Minho,” Taemin said, voice pitched high with fear.

 

Minho  turned to his fiancé, all alarms up, only to see a butterfly on the younger prince’s knee. Minho  reached a hand out and urged the insect to flutter away, amused by Taemin’s fear of the pretty bug. He froze though, when a large dark shadow fell over their wagon.

 

“M-Minho…I…told you,” Taemin said.

 

Minho  nodded and turned around to speak to Onew only to see one of the guards suddenly lifted into the air and dropped a bit away. He stood up, staring into the sky and ran. The other guard pulled out his sword as well, staring at the sky. Onew looked up and then began pushing Seunghyun under the bench of the wagon, the fairies poking their heads out.

 

“Minho, get Taemin under something,” Onew said drawing his sword. The shadow came again.

 

Minho’s heart began to pound hard. He needed to get Taemin to safety, needed to hide the prince who wasn’t taught about battling and protection. His hand went for his sword and he pulled it out. Whatever he did, he could not look up.

 

But, as Onew held his sword in the air, Minho did. He looked up.

 

“Minho, don’t look up you idiot!” Onew yelled as Minho’s eyes widened and his hand slackened on the sword, the weapon falling back into its sheath.

 

Dragon.

 

Its sharp gray talons descended again, swiping at Onew, but the elder prince jumped away. Minho  was entranced by the rainbow shine the sun made on the dragon’s black scales. It was a smaller dragon, smaller than the one Kris had taken the form of in the sand cave. Still, Minho  couldn’t find the strength to move.

 

A dragon.

 

“Minho, snap out of it!” Onew yelled.

 

The dragon came again and the wagon tittered over. The horses’ protests were loud and they stopped about, but, surprisingly, stayed, probably frozen just the same as Minho. However, the movement of the wagon jerked Minho  to move and he rolled along the sand. He pulled himself up to see where everyone was. Onew was helping his fiancé under the capsized wagon, the fairies fluttering about, Key twittering loudly about something, some kind of magic and not being big enough to fight it. Where was Taemin though?

 

“Minho!”

 

Minho  turned to see Taemin a ways away, rolled farther than the rest when the wagon toppled over. Minho  stood and started toward his fiancé, his true love, but that shadow fell over him and he paused for a second, steps faltering. The dragon was faster. Its talons descended and grabbed the young prince  by his clothes and lifted him into the air. Minho  ran…he ran…he ran…his feet wouldn’t move though, arms just reached out and he cried, falling to his knees as he watched the dragon fly into the mountain cliffs with his fiancé.

 

“Taemin!”

 

Arrows shot helplessly after the creature from Onew’s bow.


	23. Dragons and Fathers

**Chapter 23 – Dragons and Fathers**

 

 

Taemin was gone, taken. It was his fault. Minho  knew it was all his fault. He had let the dragon take Taemin. How could he make this up to his fiancé, to the boy that had saved him from a curse that he had barely managed to survive months under? Minho  gripped the white dirt of the trail with his fingers, arms shaking. Up, up. He couldn’t even lift his head to watch where the dragon flew off with his fiancé.

 

“Minho! Minho!” Onew yelled.

 

Minho  could only claw at the dirt more, eyes shutting, as the older prince and Seunghyun hurried over to him. Onew’s hand landed on his shoulder, strong fingers tugging on the shoulder of his shirt.

 

“Minho, get up, we have to go save Taemin,” Onew said.

 

“Save Taemin…have to…save Taemin,” Minho  said and loosened his hands from the ground, white dirt sliding out from between his fingers. He moved a leg out in front of him only to wobble and fall to the side. “Save Taemin from a _dragon_.”

 

Onew tugged o n his shirt again lifting Minho  from the ground only a few inches before letting the prince face the white dirt again. “Minho, get up, what is wrong with you?”

 

Seunghyun kneeled beside Minho  and started to pat his sides and back and legs checking for injury, but no matter how much he poked or prodded Minho  let no sound of pain slip through his lip. He wasn’t injured, not physically.

 

“Minho, get up now and help go after my brother or I swear I’ll run you through with my sword,” Onew threatened and Minho  could feel the tip of said sword pressing into his back.

 

“Do it,” Minho  said not pulling himself up from the dirt. He was just a coward, a looser for giving up like this. He hated loosing, but in this situation, it was a total loss. “I’d rather be dead than face Taemin after letting him be taken.”

 

“You didn’t let him get taken, Minho,” Seunghyun tried to reassure. “The dragon took him, you couldn’t help it.”

 

Slowly, Minho  sat up. “I could have, I could have grabbed him before the dragon did.”

 

“What do you mean, Minho?” Onew asked and lowered his sword.

 

Minho  sat up and dusted himself off then looked around the valley at the mountains surrounding them. “I froze. I’m a prince who has been on other quests since young, I lived as a frog for months for goodness sakes facing hungry birds and snakes, and I freeze now.”

 

The valley was silent other than the fluttering of the fairies’ wings as they fluttered over looking Minho  over with twin judging glares. Onew’s hand lifted again to Minho’s shoulder, but only rested there.

 

“There’s a difference between dragons and snakes, Minho. When you’re human, snakes are small,” Onew said and grinned at Minho.

 

It was surprising really. Minho  would have thought the older prince would be furious with him. He had basically let a dragon kidnap his little brother doing who knew what to him now – eating, torturing – what if the dragon was only a mask like the genie, what other horrors could befall his pretty fiancé in a human’s hand! Minho  reached up and held firmly to Onew’s wrist.

 

“I’m sorry…I want to get Taemin back, please,” Minho  said.

 

“I won’t tell him if you don’t tell,” Onew said.

 

Minho  grinned. It seemed they had an understanding: Minho  didn’t tell Seunghyun about Onew’s fear of dark enclosed spaces and Onew wouldn’t tell his little brother that his wonderful dreamy prince had an unhealthy fear of dragons.

 

“Hey, what are we going to do about Taemin? If you haven’t forgotten, he just got kidnapped by a dragon,” Key yelled as the fairies fluttered over to them.

 

Minho  looked around the valley, but saw no sign of the dragon or where it could have gone. He sighed and stood up. “We have to keep calm.”

 

“How are we supposed to keep calm?” Key asked. “Taemin could be eaten. I really like Taemin, I don’t want him to be eaten.”

 

“None of us want anything bad to happen to Taemin,” Seunghyun assured and urged the fairy onto his shoulder.

 

“How far are we from the town we were going to stop at?” Minho  asked turning to Onew.

 

“Not far,” Onew said. “Should we go there and ask about the dragon. I would say just to go after the beast, but it’s long gone and I’ve never tracked a dragon down before. It came out of nowhere.”

 

“There was magic,” Jonghyun interrupted. “I could feel it, something controlling the dragon.”

 

Minho  looked at the fairy prince then to Key. “There was magic?”

 

Key nodded. “It was too strong. I don’t think dragons just swoop down and take people, not like that. People aren’t precious enough to them to treat so gently.”

 

Minho  sighed. “Alright, let’s quickly go to the town and ask them about the dragon then we’ll go after Taemin. Hopefully he’s alright.”

 

Onew squeezed Minho’s shoulder. “I’m sure he is. My brother’s a lot tougher than he looks, and smarter than people give him credit for. I know I overreact a lot, but I’d know if something bad happen to him.”

 

“Oh, the guards ran away,” Seunghyun pointed out. “It’s just us and the horses now.”

 

“Good, they were dead weight anyways,” Jonghyun said and sat on Seunghyun’s other shoulder.

 

“Cowards,” Minho  mumbled under his breath. He might be scared of dragons but he would never run away on his own when people he loved were in danger. He wouldn’t run now. He froze, and he might freeze again, but he had people to help him and he was determined to find Taemin.  

 

“Let’s get the horses hooked back up, they seemed spooked, but they’ll be more aware now,” Onew said and they headed to the tipped over wagon, righting it. One of the wheels was a bit off, but other wise it was fine. They could get it fixed in town while they went to rescue Taemin.

 

Minho  watched the skies as they rode. As long as they got Taemin back safe and sound, he would do whatever his fiancé demanded of him for as long as it took him to redeem himself for his wrong whether that be  giving into the younger princes every demand for sex even in open places and becoming his own fiancé’s sex slave.

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

They arrived at the village in a few hours, a few hours that could mean life or death for Taemin, but Minho  chose not to think about that. He had a feeling his true love was still alive and that they would be together again as long as Taemin was willing to forgive him. It was indeed a small village covering not even half the land Minho’s castle did. It was mostly fenced in areas with live stock and tall buildings with doors on the outside like apartments, five of these buildings to be exact reaching up only eight floors and then a large building Minho  guessed as the market place and a tavern. The citizens were nowhere to be seen, just cattle and sheep and horses, but Minho  could hear them, loud laughter coming from the tavern where a group of horses were tied up outside.

 

“The tavern looks like the liveliest place. It’s getting dark so we should check there so we can get after Taemin before night falls,” Onew suggested.

 

Minho  agreed and they tethered their horses and wagon outside and headed in. The fairies curled inside Seunghyun’s shirt peaking out as he clung to Onew’s arms. Minho  watched them sadly. His own arm felt empty without Taemin.

 

“Excuse me,” Onew said at the desk of the tavern.

 

“What can I get you?” a tall young man asked wiping out a glass.

 

“We don’t need a drink, we just have an important question to ask. Are these parts frequently overridden by dragons or one dragon in particular?”

 

The tavern man put his glass down and sighed. “There is a dragon and he’s usually quiet, but sometimes a witch will come past this area and see him. The poor creature always gets taken advantage of but he’s perfectly gentle. He only takes one pair of live stock every month, sometimes he doesn’t even come. That’s pretty fair for a dragon don’t you think?”

 

“Unusually so, yes,” Onew agreed. “So he isn’t the type to kidnap princesses on a whim?”

 

The tavern man tilted his head and looked at Onew, up and down then at Seunghyun and finally Minho. “You guys princes? That dragon doesn’t have a captured princess if you’re looking for some sort of heroic quest.”

 

“Perhaps not a captured princess but a prince,” Onew explained. “We were traveling here when we were attacked by your ‘innocent’ dragon. He took my brother.”

 

Minho  stepped forward. “His brother who is also my fiancé. We were on our way back to his kingdom to be married.”

 

“Ah, male brides. They’re no accepted here so I’d be careful saying that. It must have been a witch. You can’t trust those conniving women.”

 

Onew wrapped his arm around Seunghyun and flattened it against Key who had started to climb out at the bad words toward his profession.”

 

“Indeed, it must have been. Do you know where this dragon stays?” Minho  asked.

 

“In a cave just up ahead actually, about ten miles on the highest cliff. There’s a trail, sometimes we just take it livestock. Now that you mention it, I did see him flying earlier today. He was too high up to see if he had anything. There’s nothing else we here can really do for you, but we get travelers, we have some others now, see what they can do to help out and I’ll give you each a glass on the house for your troubles.”

 

Seunghyun moved from Onew’s side and bowed. “Thank you for your troubles.”

 

“Hmm,” the tavern man said. “Seem you’re a male bride too. I’d think about that a little more if they’re going to let you get taken by dragons.”

 

“It was a …miscalculation,” Minho  said but trailed off as the tavern man went to go serve another customer.

 

Onew patted his shoulder. “It’s alright, Minho. They have their own fears, too.”

 

“Well, if it isn’t the prince that stole my son’s heart.”

 

Minho’s eyes widened and a shiver ran up his body at the familiar voice. He could feel his skin go green with the sick feeling from nerves he got as he slowly turned around to meet Taemin’s father, the current ‘Robin Hood’ avenger of the poor.

 

“Y-your majesty,” Minho  said and bowed, tittering on unsteady feet with the movement. “What are you doing here?”

 

Leeteuk waved at Minho  and laughed. “I’m not royalty anymore, Minho. Just call me Leeteuk.”

 

Minho  shook his head. “Can’t possibly do that.” Definitely not when he had just let Leeteuk’s son get kidnapped by a dragon, it wouldn’t be right to be friendly. 

 

“Ah, well have it your way. Kangin and I were bringing some of the boys through, thought we’d head up North in case we could catch a word of your wedding. Seems you haven’t made it up there yet. Where is Taemin anyways?”

 

Minho  swayed his body in the direction of Leeteuk’s eyes to keep him from seeing past. The ex-king just furrowed his brows and grabbed Minho’s shoulder to push him aside with surprising strength. A sound like a squeal escaped him.

 

“Onew!”

 

 “H-Hey Father,” Onew stuttered.

 

The ex-king reached out and brought his eldest son into a tight hug, the large bow on his back flopping as he jumped in excitement and knocked against Onew’s forehead. The older prince held his father tight and mouth words of warning and fear as Minho. Minho wasn’t sure what Onew had to be afraid of, Minho  was the one that hadn’t gotten to Taemin on time.

 

“Oh Onew, when did you join up when these guys?” Leeteuk asked finally letting his son go, but kept a hand on his shoulder, smiling.

 

“Oh…uh, I chased after them.”

 

“Chased after…ah, that is something you would do, so protective of our little Taemin,” Leeteuk said and turned to Minho. “I bet he gave you a lot of grief, eh, Minho?”

 

Minho  shook his head. “He’s a good brother-in-law.”

 

Leeteuk moved his hand to ruffle his son’s hair. “Of course he is.”

 

Seunghyun moved back to his place clinging to Onew’s arm a nervous smile on his face. Leeteuk’s eyes moved to him and glanced him up and down. He moved back and tapped his chin.

 

“You’re not Taemin…where is Taemin anyways, he hasn’t said anything?” Leeteuk said and looked around the tavern.

 

“Father…uh, Father,” Onew said. “Taemin…he’s not here.”

 

Leeteuk stopped. “Not here…where is he?”

 

Minho  tapped the ex-king’s shoulder and bowed low to him. “I’m so sorry. Taemin was captured by a dragon, we’re here trying to get information on where the dragon’s lair is. I apologize, it’s completely my fault.”

 

“Completely your fault? Now, I can’t see who that could be,” Leeteuk said.

 

“You’re…you’re not mad, father?” Onew asked.

 

“Mad, well of course I’m mad,” Leeteuk said, “but I’m not just mad with Minho  here, I’m mad with you, too, son, and those two fairies I know that are hiding, and,” he waved a hand at Seunghyun, “whoever this may be. All of you were in charge of Taemin so it is all of your faults. You let me youngest son get taken by a dragon. It’s also his fault for letting himself be taken and my fault for fathering such a stubborn child.”

 

“There were two guard escorts…they ran away,” Seunghyun added.

 

Leeteuk scoffed. “Running away, what kind of guards were they? It’s their fault, too. Now, what did you learn, also, please tell me who this is already.”

 

Seunghyun let go of Onew and bowed before Leeteuk. “I am Song Seunghyun, a prince of a middle kingdom.”

 

“He’s my fiancé,” Onew added and brought Seunghyun back to his side.

 

“Hmm, Taemin didn’t say anything about you having a fiancé, where did he come from?”

 

“I met him one my chase after Taemin. He was cursed and I broke it.”

 

Leeteuk nodded. “Well, at least one good thing has come out since the last time I saw you.”

 

“We got the shoe as well,” Minho  added.

 

“Okay, two good things, but they’re negated unless we can find Taemin.”

 

“Father,” Onew started, “are you coming with us to rescue him?”

 

“Of course. I needed to teach that son of mine to stop being such a damsel in distress. It’s all Heechul’s doing making him like that.”

 

Minho  turned to Onew confused on what Leeteuk meant.

 

“Taemin actually…well he knows how to take care of himself, he’s just sort of absentminded,” Onew began. “It started since we were younger. Even if he could save himself, he let himself get into danger just so someone would come rescue him, he thought it was fun and it made many of our servants and myself look better. Our kingdom’s peaceful, but there are many raids around. The one time I took him on a quest with us, just a small one, he was kidnapped by bandits. I searched for two days before I found him tied up to a pole in an empty camp grinning at us.”

 

“Where were the bandits?” Minho  asked horrified that his fiancé had been kidnapped before.

 

“We never did find them. Taemin just said they got fed up with him and left him there to be eaten. Taemin can be something scary when he wants,” Onew explained.

 

Minho  nodded. There was a lot about his fiancé he had yet to learn. “So that’s why you think he’s fine with the dragon?”

 

“Dragons are another thing all together,” Leeteuk said.

 

“The tavern man said this one’s a peaceful dragon usually so it must be under a witch’s control. That means there’s not much of a chance he’ll be eaten, just taken captive for whatever reason,” Onew said.

 

“Well, let’s go take a seat over where Kangin and the boys are and talk this out before it starts getting dark. We’ll have to save Taemin before the morning, no use letting him annoy the witch until she does command the dragon to eat him.”

 

They followed Leeteuk to a room set to the side with a large table inside full of rambunctious young men all eating and drinking, Kangin at the head. Leeteuk waved his lover over, and the half drunk burly man pulled the ex-king into his side and looked at the other three curiously, fairies coming out to take a seat on the table.

 

“So, what did the tavern man say?” Leeteuk asked.

 

Minho  spoke. “He said that the dragon’s cave is only a few miles ahead. We could get their before dark, and if the fighting doesn’t take long, get back around midnight.”

 

“That sounds like the best idea, Kangin here has tracked dragons before, we’ll just have to sober him up a bit and the rest of the boys before going,” Leeteuk said patting his lover’s cheek. “Oh, do you mind showing me the shoe, Minho. I can tell you if it’s really Heechul’s shoe or a fake. I wouldn’t want you going back with a fake shoe.”

 

“I’ll go get it,” Minho  said standing up.

 

“Where did you get it again?” Leeteuk asked as Minho  left.

 

Onew answered. “Oh, from a thief.”

 

Minho  had just made it out of the room before he was pushed up against the wall, a hand coming to cover his mouth. His eyes widened before squinting in a glare at the man before him. Hangeng, the thief.

 

“Give me the shoe,” Hangeng said.

 

Minho  shook his head still glaring then felt something press into his side.

 

“Lead me to it or I’ll stab you and leave you for dead. You wouldn’t want to leave your pretty lover a widow before you’re even married would you?”

 

No, no he couldn’t die before rescuing Taemin even if he didn’t think Hangeng would actually kill him, still. Minho  sighed against Hangeng’s hand and nodded. The thief moved back, but kept the knife pressed against Minho’s side and led him out of the tavern to where their horses and wagon were parked. Minho  began to dig around in the bags looking for where they put the bag Taemin had hid the shoe.

 

Hangeng kicked one of the wagon wheels. “You got a crack in this, should get it repaired.”

 

“Yeah,” Minho  said and dug deeper. Where was the shoe, it wasn’t here, the bag wasn’t here. Minho’s eyes widened.

 

“Hey, what’s taking you so long, give it up already,” Hangeng said.

 

“It’s not here.”

 

“What do you mean it’s not here? Don’t play with me, I know you still have it, that kid moved it somewhere else, tricked me.”

 

“He has it,” Minho  said.

 

“Okay, go get him and make him give it to me.”

 

Minho  sighed again. “That’ll be difficult. He’s with a dragon right now.”


	24. Dragon's Cave

**Chapter 24 – Dragon’s Cave**

 

 

Hangeng hadn’t let him go so easily. With the knife still to his back, he marched Minho  back inside and urged him to call Onew out. Minho  was happy that luck seemed to be forgiving and Seunghyun and Leeteuk walked out with the elder prince. When the ex-king and the thief’s eyes met, Leeteuk immediately went for the dagger at his side, but Minho  waved his hands when he felt Hangeng press the knife to his side more.

 

“Hangeng, what are you doing here?” Leeteuk asked.

 

The thief pressed the knife harder. “Let’s not talk about this, I just want the shoe. This one says the little one has it, where is he?”

 

“I told you he’s captive by a – hey!” Minho  flinched when the knife pricked his skin.

 

“Wasn’t talking to you, Leeteuk, tell me?”

 

Leeteuk sighed. “I never thought you’d become an actual thief, Hangeng. Minho’s telling the truth, he was kidnapped.”

 

“Father, you know this man?” Onew asked.

 

“Father?” Hangeng asked as well.

 

Leeteuk grinned. “Don’t tell me you hadn’t guessed, Hangeng, why else would they be searching for that shoe? It really is the same one, isn’t it?”

 

“What are you talking about?” Onew said. Minho  wanted to know, too, but every time he attempted to talk, the knife stuck more in his side.

 

“This is the old Robin Hood, the old savior of the poor. I told you about my sons when we use to travel together, Hangeng, the clumsy older one that would take over and king and my pretty younger son.” Leeteuk’s face hardened. “You’ve fought dragons before with Kangin, come with us and help rescue my son. You use to help a lot of people before.”

 

Hangeng chuckled darkly. “I use to help a lot of people that were poor; if he’s your son than he must be rich. He’s a prince. I don’t help out the rich.”

 

 “Father, don’t bother with him, it’s obvious he’s a prejudice prick with mixed up morals. I don’t think his heart would be moved by a damsel in distress.”

 

“Taemin’s a boy,” Minho  said. “Ow, ow, that’s my skin there.”

 

“Let’s just get Minho  away from him,” Seunghyun offered. “We can’t compromise when someone’s in danger.”

 

“Listen to your bride. There’s nothing you can say that’ll get me to help you, I just want the shoe,” Hangeng said.

 

“If you want the shoe, help us,” Leeteuk said.

 

Hangeng lowered the sword a big from Minho’s side. “If I help you get your son back you’ll give me the shoe then?”

 

“No Father, Taemin and Minho…we all went through so much to get that shoe,” Onew said.

 

Leeteuk held up a hand. “We won’t give it to you, but the only way you’ll ever see it, ever get the chance to steal it back, is if we succeed in getting Taemin back. That would go a lot more smoothly if you helped.”

 

By the altering pressure of the knife on his side, Minho  could tell Hangeng was thinking this over. “I’ll get the shoe back and you won’t stop me from taking anything we happen to find in the dragon’s cave.”

 

“By all means, if you can steal it, take what you want from the dragon that’s  not our concern. I just want my son back safe in his fiancé’s arms,” Leeteuk said and smiled at Minho.

 

Minho  didn’t really think his arms were all that safe considering Taemin had been taken in the first place only meters away from them.

 

Hangeng nodded. “Fine, but you get Kangin and only Kangin from in that room and we leave.”

 

Leeteuk nodded and went inside the room for his lover. Minho  suddenly felt himself pushed forward and he ran into Onew.

 

“As to make sure you guys keep your end of the bargain,” Hangeng said and pulled Seunghyun too him from his place beside Onew as the two elder princes wrestled to get untangled, “I’ll be keeping this one on the horse with me.”

 

“Seunghyun!” Onew exclaimed and reached out for his fiancé.

 

Hangeng pulled Seunghyun back with him. “This is my insurance.”

 

Leeteuk and Kangin came back out, the burly man glaring at his ex-partner.

 

“Now that you’re here, let’s get going.”

 

 

  **☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

Hangeng refused to lead, bringing up the back with Seunghyun sitting in front of him on his horse. They had Kangin lead. Leeteuk explained that before he had joined, Kangin and Hangeng had fought a dragon controlled by a ruthless king preying on the peasants. They way in which they explained the dragon made it seem as if it was much larger than the one they were tracking now and Minho  almost caused his horse to trip thinking about how a creature that big and frightening could exist.

 

It was a much longer trek to the mountains than the tavern man had said to where the dragon lived. Dark came before they had even reached the foot of the mountain in which they could barely make out a large cave in the light of the waning moon. They parked the rode the horses up a path that lead to a clearing a safe ways down from the cave, what Minho  supposed was the place the townspeople sacrificed the pair of livestock every few months to feed the dragon. The parked the horses and Kangin dismounted, looking around, bent close to the ground to inspect the area.

 

“The dragon is probably looking over here and if it’s being controlled by a witch, she’s probably already seen us,” Kangin said.

 

“What should we do?” Minho  asked.

 

“We should leave two here. It’ll be harder to watch two places at once,” Hangeng said and climbed down from his horse keeping a hand on Seunghyun’s thigh as he did so.

 

Onew bristled and Minho  held a hand out to him to keep the elder prince from doing anything rash to save his fiancé’s virtue, though a hand to the thigh wasn’t much, Minho  knew he would have felt the same if that was Taemin.

 

“I’ll tie Seunghyun up, chain him and Kangin can stay down here. He should still remember how to act as if we have a captive. Leeteuk and I will act like you two are captives as well and lead you off. Act scared, like we’re going to feed you to the dragon,” Hangeng explained.

 

“You’re not tying my fiancé up,” Onew complained.

 

Hangeng pulled out his dagger and pressed it to Seunghyun’s stomach. Onew got down and started for the thief, but Minho  held out a hand to Onew to hold him back.

 

“It’s fine Onew. Being tied up has to be better than being confined to a swan’s body,” Seunghyun said and smiled.  

 

Onew looked at his fiancé, eyes staring meaningfully into Seunghyun’s telling him it would be okay, just to be patient and he would be out of danger. Minho  wished he could say the same thing to Taemin. He didn’t need to pretend in order to be afraid of the dragon.

 

“It’s a good idea, let’s get on with it. I’m sure Seunghyun will be fine,” Leeteuk said and dismounted his horse. “We’ll have to climb to get up there.”

 

Hangeng reached for the bag he carried with his bow and pulled out thin chains and a lock. Minho  wondered why the thief had such items until he remembered he had been chained up in Siwon’s dungeon. Possibly he had taken some with him or stolen some along the way for reasons such as this. Hangeng tugged Seunghyun off the horse ungracefully riling Onew up, it seemed as Minho  hand to hold the elder back again. He wound the chains tightly and secured the lock. He showed them all the key he had dangling around his neck.

 

“I keep this for my horse, the key is with me, so Kangin can’t break him free and I know he has no talent with picking locks.”

 

Minho  frowned. He had been half hoping that leaving Seunghyun with Kangin could insure their safety for Onew’s sake. The elder prince would be his brother-in-law and therefore family and he cared about his family’s happiness. He wondered if Taemin was happy enough, however happy you could be kidnapped.

 

“Let’s go before the witch feeds your pretty fiancé to the dragon,” Hangeng said this time leading them to begin the trek up the mountain swerving away from the front of the cave. He stopped a good ways up then gestured down for the others to follow, pulling out his bow and putting an arrow on it pointing it down at them. Minho  supposed it was a safety measure.

 

The rocks of the mountain were sharp with marks trailing in them like dragon claws. They made Minho  shiver as he followed up after Onew, Leeteuk behind. He hoped his hands weren’t bleeding, not that he wouldn’t go through any amount of pain to reach Taemin, but there was a certain point of pain that made you incapable of doing anything and Minho  needed to be able to hold his sword. It was bad enough he had to deal with his fear of the large reptilian beast only to add trying to ignore bleeding hands over top of it.

 

He could hear Onew gritting his teeth above him, letting out little grunts here and there and Minho  guessed the elder had indeed cut his hand. Minho  took a mental note to be careful. Onew could handle the pain, but Minho  didn’t need an excuse for not saving Taemin. Being afraid of a dragon was not an excuse, being injured, well that was more forgivable.

 

“Hurry up. You guys are slow,” Hangeng said once again a good deal ahead of them with his bow pointed down. “If you want your precious prince back in your arms to have a good round before midnight I’d hurry it up.”

 

“Hangeng, I would appreciate it if you would stop talking about my son like that,” Leeteuk said. He sounded a bit tired, definitely frustrated. It was a bit surprising to Minho  as he had only really seen Leeteuk as the type to smile and give happy threats only getting angry playfully. Even if he had left his sons to be free, it seemed he still deeply cared about them, enough to let go of his usual façade and take on one of authority, one like the king he use to be. “If you still have any respect for me from the days we worked together, you would stop.”

 

Hangeng laughed, but lowered his bow a bit. “I never did have much respect for you to be truthful, Leeteuk. I was neutral to you but then I grew to dislike you, a king who gave up everything to be a thief with a thief lover. You may seem to love your children, but what about your queen? What a selfish king, you can see why I can’t respect you and give into your request, right?”

 

“I’m starting to considering how much you want that shoe back.”

 

“Then I’ll talk about your son as I like. Now, no talking until we get close to the dragon, understood? Climb faster.”

 

“You know, he’s the queen’s son, too. Did you stop to think about that?” Leeteuk added.

 

Hangeng held up his bow again and pointed it at Leeteuk. He let an arrow rip by and Minho  was almost scared for the ex-king until he heard it hit a rock next to Leeteuk’s foot. A warning shot and Leeteuk hadn’t even looked away from Hangeng as it passed.

 

“Climb,” Hangeng said again.

 

It was a long strenuous journey continuing up the mountain. Minho  did receive a few cuts, but he made sure that none of them dug too deep into his skin and tried to be careful with them, stopping at one point to tare at his shirt and wrap clothe around his palms so they wouldn’t get infected. He told Onew to do the same and received a warning arrow from Hangeng for talking. He hated this that he couldn’t do anything but follow Hangeng’s orders, but at least the thief was helping in his own way. Minho  still did not understand why Hangeng felt so much for the shoe, was it because it was an odd treasure or because he had known Heechul as Leeteuk kept hinting at. 

 

“Alright, we’re coming up to the cave entrance. The best way to go about this is for Minho to save his fiancé and get me that shoe and the rest of us will fend off the dragon and the witch. If the dragon gets loose from the cave, Kangin will know what to do from his position,” Hangeng said. He climbed up ahead of them and poked his head just around the cave. He didn’t say anything, just made gestures for them to follow him. He gestured again for them to climb into the cave, Leeteuk leading with an arrow strung on his bow, then Onew fondling his sword and Minho  feeling Hangeng’s knife only centimeters from his back.

 

A low rumble filled the cave and Minho  jumped only to get the tip of Hangeng’s knife poking his back. He swore he did not whimper when the sound came again – a dragon’s snore. They made their way deep into the cave until they stopped at what felt like some sort of barrier. Minho  reached out toward it, but retracted his hand retracted before he could touch it.

 

“The witch must be out,” Leeteuk said. “She must be keeping the dragon asleep and guarded when she can’t have power over it.”

 

“Indeed she must,” said a voice from behind them.

 

Minho  turned and suddenly light filtered the cave. At the mouth of the cave stood a hooded figure. They walked farther in approaching them and pulled their hood off to reveal a tumble of dark hair and the roundness of a woman’s face. Minho  stepped back in surprise, into the barrier which was now gone, the witch’s face somehow familiar.

 

“I’m witch Krystal and you all must be the princes I was told to watch out for that were coming this way,” the witch said.

 

“You were told about us?” Onew asked.

 

“Oh yes, had a favor to fill in for someone.”

 

“Who put you up to this?” Minho  asked.

 

The witch’s eyes were sharp as they landed on Minho. “Someone you would know. Too bad we can’t get to know each other better, we were almost family, but all families have feuds and sometimes they end in death. The dragon’s going to eat you now.”

 

There was a stir in the air followed by a loud roar and Minho  could feel himself go stiff. Dragon. No, he couldn’t get eaten by a dragon. Taemin, he had to save Taemin.

 

“What are you going to do with Taemin?” Minho asked.

 

“Oh, well when he’s not jabbering on and asking a million questions he rather cute, when he’s asleep he’s cute. Maybe I’ll marry him. I always wanted to be queen.”

 

“You can’t be queen by marrying him, I’m the eldest,” Onew said glaring at the witch.

 

“Yes, but what if you’re dead,” she responded and grinned.

 

The dragon roared again and Minho  could hear its talons scraping across the cave floor as it made its way to them. Minho  heart beat hard in his chest. He needed to run, run and get away from the beast. No, run and save Taemin. He looked around, there had to be a way out of this. He though he saw something, a shadow on the wall flying past him and into the cave less than a foot long…less than a foot.

 

Minho  grinned. The fairies, he’d forgotten about the fairies. They had been with Seunghyun. Ah, he wanted to laugh. Seunghyun was never in real danger, Key and Jonghyun had been with him, was he free already? Was there only one fairy here right now? Which one? Minho  turned and followed the fairy’s shadow into the depths of the cave.

 

“Minho, wait!” Onew shouted and followed after.

 

Minho  ran keeping the small less threatening creature in the fore front of his mind. If he didn’t think about the dragon, the fear wouldn’t over take him. Yes, yes, those loud roars and scraping sounds were just normal. It must be storming or something. He came to a fork in the cave. The fairy’s shadow veered left. Minho  started after it only for a sharp clawed hand to reach out. He ducked just in time, heart nearly pumping out of his chest.

 

“Dragon,” Minho murmured.

 

“Go!” Onew yelled, swinging his sword at the black scaled creature that seemed confused on trying to get passed them or to eat them.

 

Minho  tilted his head. The creature didn’t seem so big all tucked up inside the halls of it’s cave, like a really big horse, five horses, but still it’s face made him want to go shove his head under the sand in fear. Minho  quickly followed the elder’s command and continued on.

 

“Don’t die, you still have to save your own fiancé,” Minho  called back. It was a lie, Seunghyun was probably save already if Key or Jonghyun was with him, but Onew must have not realized that with the grunts of effort that followed Minho  down his path way followed later by a loud and evil sounding laugh.

 

“Go ahead, shoot your pathetic arrows, I have magic and those tiny things could not penetrate a dragon’s skin if your life depended on it. Go after your bride, I’ll leave and then he’ll die because he’ll never wake up without me!”

 

Minho  didn’t understand what she meant. Sleeping. She said Taemin was sleeping. A spell?

 

He ran until he came to a room that resembled the lair of Kris the genie except with walls of stone not sand. Piles of gold and jewels were scattered in every corner, and in the middle was a pile of fine silks and pearls like a nest. In that nest laid a figure, curled up and asleep.

 

“Taemin!”

 

Minho  ran to the next and fell to his knees beside Taemin on the nest, shaking his shoulders, but his fiancé wouldn’t open his eyes.

 

“Minho, over here.”

 

Minho  whipped his head around to see Key fluttering near one of the jewel piles. He stood and went to the witch fairy.

 

“Key, can you stop Krystal?”

 

The fairy shook his head. “I’m small I can’t go up against the amount of magic she has. It took me long enough to break her barrier and to open that lock Hangeng put on Seunghyun.”

 

“What about Taemin? Can you help Taemin?”

 

The fairy looked away. “That…well I think I know what it is, the curse he’s under. Must have pissed her off pretty badly to be put under something like that.”

 

“What is it Key?”

 

Key eyes moved to one of the objects in the treasure pile, a strange wood structure that Minho  thought looked familiar. He reached out to touch it, but Key flew in front of him.

 

“Don’t, that’s how Taemin ended up like that. If you both fall in eternal sleep then we won’t be able to save you two.”

 

“Taemin’s in an eternal sleep?” Why would Krystal put his fiancé in such a state?

 

“Yes, though I’m sure she planned to wake him up before he died of starvation. Her spell isn’t quite strong enough to keep him going without food,” Key explained. “It’s an old spell, probably something she did in a haste seeing this here. It’s a spindle, it’s used to make yarn. Most royalty would have never seen one before.”

 

“I saw it maybe once when I was younger,” Minho  said a vague memory appearing of a lady threading a tapestry, one of these machines in the corner of her work area. “So, she used Taemin’s curiosity to touch it and cursed him that way?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“How do we break it, the curse?”

 

Key smiled and fluttered over to Taemin. “That’s the easy part, just kiss him. You said he cured your curse that could only be cured by true love’s kiss, same goes for this one.”

 

Minho  kneeled down by Taemin again and placed his hands on both sides of his body leaning over him. “Taemin,” he said softly. Krystal was right, he was pretty when he slept, but he was prettier when he was smiling or in the deep throws of passionate love making. Minho  wanted to see those expressions again, even his angry one, especially his angry one.

 

“She must be a young witch, powerful, but young if she let you pass by so easily. This is a powerful spell, you don’t just use it to shut someone up, doesn’t she know to respect spell. If I see her again I’ll teach her some man—”

 

“Key, be quiet, I’m going to kiss my fiancé now.”

 

“Right, go on ahead, I’ll just flutter over here.”

 

Minho  waited until the fairy was enough away to give them privacy. He tired to tune out the dragon’s roars and the sounds of Onew’s sword clashing and arrows flying, screams. He focused on Taemin, on his pretty sleeping face and full thick lips that belong to him. How long would Taemin make him wait in punishment for him to get to kiss him again?

 

“I love you,” Minho  said. He pushed some of Taemin’s hair from his forehead and kissed the warm skin there then moved down, lips grazing his nose. He kissed a sigh to Taemin’s lips then finally kissed him with his own.

 

It was like their first kiss again when Minho  was still a frog, magic zinging between them and something much bigger than them telling them they other was the one. Their lips connecting told them they were whole now, connected to their other half. Minho  pressed his lips harder. _Oh Taemin, Taemin, please wake up._

 

Hands, so light Minho  barely felt them gripping his hair until they pulled roughly and a tongue prodded at Minho’s lips. Minho  couldn’t help but grin. There was his Taemin. He allowed the younger’s passage and let Taemin reclaim his mouth until a particularly loud roar made Minho  remember they still weren’t safe. He pulled away and smiled at Taemin’s disheveled confused face.

 

“Hello, Taemin.”

 

Taemin snuggled into Minho’s touch, a smile sounding in his words as he replied, “Hi, Minho.”

 


	25. Overcoming the Numbness

**Chapter 25 – Overcoming the Numbness**

 

 

Minho  smiled down at his fiancé and landed another peck to Taemin’s lips. He was going to kiss him again when Key suddenly fluttered between them.

 

“You two can go at it after we’ve gotten out of this cave and back in a nice warm inn.”

 

“Cave?” Taemin asked then glared at nothing in particular. “There was a girl, she wouldn’t talk to me. She told me to touch this weird thing and I think she cursed it.”

 

“Why would you touch something a witch told you to touch, Taemin?” the witch fairy asked.

 

Taemin looked at him innocently. “It was weird, I wanted to touch it.”

 

Minho  sighed and stood helping Taemin up as well. “It’s fine, Taemin, but we’ve got to get out of here.”

 

“Where’s my brother?” Taemin asked.

 

“Fighting the…dragon,” Minho  answered trying not to let Taemin hear him choke on the word dragon.

 

“We should go help him,” Taemin said and started to drag Minho  out of the cave. Key fluttered near Minho’s shoulder, wing occasionally brushing his hair as they followed the roars of the dragon. Minho  wondered if it was some sort of comforting gesture or if the fairy was just scared, too.

 

Shadows played on the wall showing where Onew and the dragon were still fighting. They rounded the corner to find that the fight had traveled to the mouth of the cave where Leeteuk was assisting his son, letting arrows fly at the dragon to get its attention so Onew could get good strokes at it.

 

Minho  stared frozen at the huge black reptile, heart beating rapidly in his chest and sweat accumulating on his skin. He wanted to turn back and hide under the piles of gold that made up the dragon’s nest just so he wouldn’t have to look at the creature. Why wasn’t Onew killing it with his strokes, Leeteuk was efficient enough in distracting it. And Hangeng had the witch on the wall with a knife at her throat. Just kill it and kill the witch.

 

Something tightened on Minho’s arm and he looked down to see Taemin clinging to him. He was frightened, too, not of the dragon, but for his brother and his father and maybe Minho, too. Minho  sighed and brought Taemin into a hug.

 

They couldn’t kill the dragon because it wasn’t its fault and the townspeople said it was a tame dragon. And killing the witch would be genocide all over again like those years they fault whether magic was good and if men could be brides and women, kings.  

 

Minho  squeezed Taemin close to him then reached up and offered the fairy as protection. “Stay here, Taemin, I’m going to help. As soon as you can, get past the dragon and down the mountain. Key will take you to Seunghyun and Kangin waiting for us.”

 

Taemin grabbed his sleeve. “What about you? I don’t want to be saved if you’re not coming with me.”

 

“I’ll be right there, I promise. As soon as you’re out I’ll come out with your brother. I’m sure he doesn’t want to leave his fiancé a widow before marriage, either.”

 

Taemin smiled and leaned up pecking Minho’s lips. “Alright, go, and I’ll help if I can once I’m with Seunghyun.”

 

Minho  ruffled Taemin’s hair before turning and drew his sword. He kept his hair down as he approached the dragon. He would not look up, he would listen and pretend it was just a mirage, a fake holograph of the thing he feared. He reasoned if he didn’t see it’s face, see those nostrils flaring, then it was still only sounds only a possible threat not a very real one and he could pretend the parts he did see were parts of other mythical beasts, chimeras, giants, and not the one he feared.

 

And even if that didn’t work, Taemin needed to get away and then he could flee with Onew and Leeteuk like the scared little prince he was pretending not to be.

 

They slashed at the dragon’s scales, swords only strong enough to nick the tough exterior of the dragon’s body. It growled and snorted smoke at them, but Minho kept his head down and looked for non lethal weak spots on the dragon.

 

Minho  kept a look out for Taemin in his peripheral as he worked with Onew and Leeteuk to get the dragon away from the mouth of the cave and back inside to give them more of a chance to escape. It flicked its tail and shook its body in annoyance, but it also whined. Minho  almost felt sorry for it being controlled by a witch and getting hurt when it wasn’t its fault for doing something bad. It just wanted to be a dragon no matter how terrifying that was to Minho.

 

“Back! Back!” Minho  said and closed his eyes swinging his sword at the creature.

 

“Minho, look where you’re swinging that thing,” Onew said and Minho  opened his eyes to look at his brother-in-law apologetically, sword pointing at his chest.

 

“Sorry,” Minho  said and moved his sword back just as a claw started for his head. The speed at which he was moving his sword picked up and on reflex, he shot out and his sword pierced the palm of the dragon. It howled and moved away backing up toward the inside of the cave. It went a good ways before it revved up and Minho  stood frozen with his sword held out knowing what was coming next.

 

“Taemin! Run now!”

 

The dragon spit forth a fountain of fire and Minho  could only stand there hoping his sword would block it like a shield but knowing it wouldn’t. He heard chattering behind him and the heat surrounded him, or more like, moved around him. Minho  saw the flames hit his sword and part to move around his body as if his sword was a shield. Key.

 

“Minho!” Onew yelled.

 

“I’m fine, where’s Taemin?” Minho  asked.

 

“Minho!”

 

He heard Taemin’s scream before he heard the cracking of rock and then crashing. The fire stopped and Minho  turned to see the front of the cave demolished into a small peak and there was a hand clinging desperately to that peak.

 

“Taemin!”

 

Minho  ran, reaching out for Taemin’s hand just as a dagger flew out and imbedded itself into his lower arm. He tried to reach out and ignore the pain, but his arm wouldn’t move. He turned and saw Krystal loose from Hangeng’s threat waving another dagger at Minho  grinning. Minho  reached out with his other hand and grabbed Taemin’s wrist.

 

“Taemin, come on, pull up.”

 

“I can’t, there’s nothing to push myself up with but air. I’m slipping.”

 

“Use both your hands, Taemin.”

 

“I can’t it hurts. I think I sprained it falling. She made the floor fall under me. Father tried to come with me, but he went down with the rocks.”

 

“Is he alright?”

 

There was silence and Minho  peeked over the cliff to see Taemin looking around. “He’s fine, but he’s too far away.”

 

Leeteuk waved at them from halfway down the mountain trying to draw an arrow with a broken bow. Minho  turned and saw Onew still fighting with the dragon.

 

“Why don’t you let go of your little fiancé? Instead of him, I’ll make you my prince since you’re stronger. She said I only needed to have you alive. I was actually supposed to kill him,” Krystal said. “Now, let go of him, or I’ll throw this other dagger at your other arm. They’re coated in numbing potion, two injections will kill you one will just make your whole body numb.”

 

“I’ll never let go of him,” Minho said and glared at Krystal.

 

“Too bad,” the witch said and made to throw another dagger at Minho  only to have it knocked out of her hand and down the mountain side.

 

“Key!” Minho  yelled hoping the fairy would help.

 

Krystal looked around, her eyes finally spotting the witch fairy. “You!” she yelled and held up her hand only to have it shot at again. She scream and shot at Key, the fairy hitting the wall opposite just as Key got out one last spell that produced the same effect on Krystal.

 

“Minho, I’m slipping,” Taemin repeated.

 

Minho  looked down and could see the fear in his fiancé’s eyes. “Hold on a little longer.” He tugged. “Onew!”

 

“I’m trying!” Onew called back. There were growls and then Minho  heard the dragon flap its wings and charge for the cave opening. Minho  ducked and felt the tips of the dragon’s wings. When Minho  looked up, Onew dangled from the dragon’s claw as it moved about running into the sides of the mountains disorientated by the loss of its master. Onew toppled out of its grasp and rolled until he reached flat ground near to were Seunghyun and Kangin were, much too far to help.

 

Minho  looked around. There was one more person. Hangeng, in the corner shaking his head as if the witch had knocked him out to get free.

 

“Hangeng, please help. I can’t pull him up. I…” he winced “…the poison travels fast.” He could feel it traveling already to his other arm.

 

Hangeng pinned them with his eyes, and stood. “I want the shoe.”

 

“Hangeng, not now, just save him, please,” Minho  begged.

 

Hangeng came and kneeled right beside Minho. “I want to shoe, tell him to give me the shoe and I’ll help.”

 

Minho  looked down. Did Taemin even still have it? There, tucked into his belt was a bag large enough for the glass shoe.

 

“Taemin, give him the shoe,” Minho  said.

 

“No, what about the marriage? We worked so hard for it,” Taemin argued. “We’re almost home.”

 

“Taemin, how can I marry you if you’re dead? If we’re dead? Please, give him the shoe or I’ll end up dropping you and if I drop you, I’m going with you.” Minho  wouldn’t be able to face Onew or Leeteuk or even live for that matter knowing he had let Taemin die that he hadn’t been strong enough to keep him up there, to pull him up.

 

“I can’t get it, my wrist,” Taemin complained.

 

“It’s just a sprain, you’re a prince, you can stand the pain, give it,” Hangeng said.

 

Minho  watched Taemin, arm quivering with effort to not give into the numbing and hold Taemin a few second more. Taemin winced as he moved to get the bag and lifted it toward Hangeng. The thief grabbed it and hooked it to his belt. He looked back and his eyes met with Minho’s.

 

“Please,” Minho  begged hoping Hangeng wouldn’t just run.

 

“Only because he’s his,” Hangeng said then reached down and grabbed the back of Taemin’s shirt helping to lift him.

 

Minho  held Taemin close to him, placing kisses on his head. “We have to get down before I go completely numb, and get Key.”

  
Taemin nodded and looked away. Minho  followed where he was looking and saw Hangeng jump and make his way down a ladder of arrows he’d created in the soft rock near the cave.

 

“I hope my wish comes true,” Taemin said.

 

Minho still wondered what Taemin’s wish was.

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

It was late into the night when they got back to the village. Onew and Kangin helped carry Minho  up to a bed as his body slowly started to regain feeling and motion thanks to Key’s counter spell when the small fairy had woken up. Taemin sat beside him, holding one of Minho’s limp hands between his, one of his own bandaged with a slight sprain. Minho  had lost the ability to move on his own when they got to Seunghyun and Kangin and learned what Taemin felt sitting in front of him on the horse as he sat in front of Taemin on the way back, except he could not feel Taemin, he could only stare up at his fiancé’s face in the dark night sky, unable to form even words.

 

Minho  wasn’t sure how long he had been laying in bad, an hour, four. There wouldn’t be many more until the others would begin to rise, he was sure of that. He could feel now, the starchy sheets on his naked form, stripped and washed with a clothe once in the room courtesy of Taemin, the roughness of Taemin’s bandage, and the softness of his other hand. The younger prince was dosing off, head bowed, eyes fluttered open ever time his chin hit his chest. Minho  could feel his cheeks rise in amusement, could feel himself smiling and he managed a laugh at one point. Taemin’s eyes came wide open hearing it.

 

“Minho, are you awake?” Taemin asked.

 

Minho  tried to nod. It worked.

 

“Have you slept at all?”

 

Minho  wondered if he had. He licked his lips and tried to speak. “Just…maybe dozed off.” His voice was rough and cracked, but it was starting to work, too.

 

Taemin smiled and it was beautiful.

 

“You can talk now?”

 

“A…little.”

 

Taemin leaned forward and pecked Minho’s forward. “Can you feel?”

 

Minho  hummed. “I felt that. Your lips are warm…and wet. Were you crying?”

 

Taemin shook his head. “No, it was probably spit.”

 

Minho  rolled his eyes. “I think I get enough of your spit on me as it is.”

 

Taemin laughed and squeezed Minho’s hands between his.

 

“Can you move?” Taemin asked.

 

Minho  tried to squeeze Taemin’s hand back, but the sensation was small and weak. “Not really.”

 

Taemin frowned. “But you can feel, right?”

 

Minho  tried to arch a brow and wasn’t sure if he succeeded. “Yes. Taemin what are you thinking?”

 

The younger prince stood and started to remove his clothes. Naked, he climbed onto the bed and slowly moved the sheet away from Minho’s body. “Thanking you. I have to thank you for saving me still.”

 

“Taemin, you don’t have to do that now. I can’t touch you like this.”

 

Taemin only grinned. “But I can touch you and you can feel it. I was going to do it as soon as we got to the inn, but when I gave you a bath, you didn’t get hard at all.”

 

“You’re a little minx, you know that?” Minho  said, fondness obvious in his voice.

 

“I know,” Taemin grinned, but it quickly shifted into a frown, “and I’m sorry about that.”

 

“Why are you sorry?” Minho  asked. He wanted to reach out and tilt Taemin’s face up to see his eyes, to see what he was feeling.

 

“For bringing you so much trouble. All I do is bring you trouble. I love you and I just wanted to be with you, but it seems I really can’t do anything to help, or at least I haven’t. I’m a guy, too. I can fight, I learned how, but I’ve never used it in actual combat like Onew or when we had games, I wasn’t allowed to those nor was I interested in participating. I didn’t think it would be useful, but I didn’t know what it meant to fall in love. I can’t just always wait for you to save me, I can save myself.” Taemin tilted his head up and stared into Minho’s eyes. “I want to help you save people. I don’t want to be left at your castle when you go on quests, at least not every time, but the less dangerous ones I want to go with you on. Until I can show you that I’m capable of that I’ll just show you the other things I can do for you and the other ways I love you.”

 

“Taemin…wait,” Minho  said as Taemin slithered down his body, lips breathe lengths away from his member, still limp, but if Taemin got any closer to it, he didn’t think it would be lying down for long. “Taemin, you’re not trouble for me. What little trouble you do bring, for who doesn’t bring trouble, is out weighed by what you did for me to begin with. You got rid of a curse with no way of undoing. I needed more than a kiss like your curse, I needed all of you, that special thing from you. That’s worth more than whatever trouble it takes to save you and it’s no trouble to save you because I love you and if I can’t be with you than I rather still be a frog.”

 

“Minho,” Taemin’s voice was light and he sat up.

 

“Taemin, I can’t move enough to get a kiss; come here.”

 

The younger prince scooted up and sat in Minho’s lap, round bottom cupping his member, and leaned in, pressing his lips to his fiancé’s. Minho pressed back, enough movement for that and poked his tongue lazily between Taemin’s lips. They came way easily and the younger moaned as Minho  clumsily mapped out his mouth. Minho  pulled away when it became to hard to keep up and just laid on the bed, watching Taemin and the younger prince moved to place kisses on Minho’s neck and collarbone. He wanted to touch Taemin, but he was resigned to let the other do as he pleased and it felt good, better than good.

 

Taemin’s lips pressed against Minho’s nipples and the elder shivered and those plump lips pecked them over and over, covering one in love pecks before moving to the other. Then, he did the same to Minho’s abs, pecking each defined section then licked a trail up and down them.

 

“Taemin,” Minho  moaned. He was hard. He knew it wouldn’t take Taemin long to get him like that and was happy that he could feel enough to experience Taemin’s total worship of his body. He didn’t think he deserved this treatment as it was his fault Taemin had been caught by the dragon in the first place, and with what Krystal said, his fault there was a dragon there, but he wasn’t in the position to stop this. Even if he said no, Taemin was stubborn and even more so when it came to sex.

 

Taemin’s lips were around his member now, sucking and slurping, moaning around him like he enjoyed it. Minho  wanted to move his hips so bad into that warm wet mouth, but they stayed put on the bed. He could move his finger though and dug them into the sheets under him in frustrations of not being able to get more. Taemin’s lips moved away from his member and Minho  let out a groan of frustration.

 

“Minho, should I ride you now?” It sounded like an innocent question, but Minho  could hear Taemin’s enjoyment in it. Taemin was enjoying that he was helpless. Minho  would have laughed and felt slightly worried about their future sex life together if he didn’t need it so bad.

 

“Yes, oh gosh yes. Taemin, I need you to ride me hard.”

 

Taemin giggled, giggled at Minho’s honest words, but he couldn’t express himself any other way, couldn’t grab Taemin’s hair and devour his mouth the way he wanted, could grab his hips and slam into Taemin’s waiting hole, couldn’t pillage his body lovingly the way Taemin deserved.

 

Minho  heard squishing noses and looked just in time to see Taemin remove his fingers from his backside before moving back onto Minho’s lap. He rubbed his bottom against Minho’s hard member, the pulsing organ cupped it the valley of Taemin’s butt cheeks.

 

“We’re kind of dirty princes, aren’t we?” Taemin teased and Minho  just wanted to kiss him speechless.

 

“Taemin if you don’t ride me now I swear when I can move your bottom will be red and you’ll have come a hundred times just from the pain.”

 

Taemin laughed. “I probably would.” Then he slid onto Minho and it was bliss.

 

Taemin was a messy erratic rider, but Minho loved that, love Taemin and everything about him fit Minho’s taste. Minho  didn’t know he had these kinks, these needs to have a lover so completely in love with him that their bodies were in love with each other as well. Maybe that was what was meant by a true love, a love who’s every essence, every make up was a perfect match for your own.

 

Slowly, Minho’s lower body regained some movement, only enough to help rub against Taemin’s prostrate and get him to go faster to do whatever it was he did with his hips and speed that made Minho  finally loose it inside him, coating his hot insides for…he’d lost count how many times he’d come inside Taemin since the first time they’d met. Taemin only moaned and let out an ecstatic sort of chuckle that made Minho’s member twitch and then the younger came as well, rubbing himself against Minho’s abs then milked himself with his own hand and fell forward on Minho’s chest. He held his dirty hand in front of Minho’s face and Minho licked his fiancé’s hand cleaned obligingly.

 

Taemin smiled at Minho, but the post coital happiness died down and he asked. “Minho, what are we to do about the shoe? We can’t go back to see Mother without it.”

 

Minho  sighed. “We’ll…we’ll go to my kingdom. There has to be a reason why Hangeng wanted that shoe so bad. We’ll contact your mother and see if he won’t think about lifting it after hearing our story. He won’t want to fight with my kingdom over this, though I don’t think that would ever happen. And Onew needs to get married as well.”

 

Taemin nodded. “Yes, let’s go to your kingdom before we get married. I want to see it.”

 

Minho  nodded and smiled. “I’ll show you the mermaids if I can. Kiss me and we’ll go to bed.”

 

Taemin moved to snuggle against Minho’s side and pressed their lips together. “Goodnight, Minho.”


	26. Unto the Sea

**Chapter 26 – Unto the Sea**

 

 

They weren’t far from the trail that led to Minho’s kingdom. The whole east side of the kingdom was littered with rocky terrain and kissed an irate ocean so few people inhabited it better yet any towns developed enough for a kingdom. Minho’s kingdom was one of the few and the largest on the east, the Eastern Kingdom. Minho  stirred the horses at the front of the wagon with Taemin by his side. Onew and Seunghyun watched the back while the fairies fluttered around looking up at the sky then to the sides. They were still on edge from the dragon incident not chancing their luck that they may be attacked again. It wasn’t something Minho  had thought much about, but it did occasionally cross his mind the fact that someone was after them. Minho  had deducted it was a witch which left a bad taste in his mouth as witches acting out in such a manner only one generation after the war to give them equality and to allow for male brides and female kings could potentially start another war that would take back all that fairies like Key had worked for. He needed to be in a castle, to be home and stationed, not out questing, to truly understand why Krystal had attacked them. He needed to be married to Taemin as everything other than the prince nestled up against him at the front of the wagon was second in his mind. He was clouded by Taemin and that suited him just well, but he was never taught to be a desperate man focused on only one thing. There was definitely some danger there.

 

“Why are there so many hills and rocks in your land, Minho?” Onew complained. “Where’s all the green.”

 

“On the hills,” Minho  replied with a laugh. “We have more bushes than trees.”

 

“You can’t really grow stuff here, can you? My land doesn’t have many trees either, but we have lots of good soil,” Seunghyun said.

 

“Sheep, fish, breads and rice. I think we grow squash, too. Just anything that likes water and cool temperature and rocky soil,” Minho  answered. “It’s not so bad, there’s still plenty of food.”

 

“I miss the trees,” Onew said. “I haven’t seen large amounts of good strong trees since the swamp.”

 

“I miss trees, too,” Key said. The other fairy agreed with him.

 

“Well, I think it’s pretty,” Taemin said. “I’m sure it’ll be even prettier once we’re near the ocean. I’ve never seen an ocean before. Onew did once, but he refused to bring me.”

 

“It’s just like a lake, Taemin, except you can’t see the other side,” Onew said.

 

“It’s not exactly like a lake, Taemin,” Minho  said smiling at the memories he had growing up in a castle by the sea. “The ocean has much more life than a lake does.”

 

“You mean like mermaids?” Taemin asked.

 

“Mermaids, dolphins, yes the creatures and plants that live there, but I mean the ocean itself. It’s always moving in large quantities. The wave that touched your shore one morning my not be the same wave that touched it the next. Sometimes the ocean is loud and reaches up the cliffs to you begging to come and get lost in its depth and sometimes it’s so quiet you barely even know it’s there.”

 

“It sounds…” Taemin started.

 

“Dangerous,” Onew offered.

 

Taemin shook his head. “Mysterious and exciting. I like it.”

 

Minho  reached over and patted Taemin’s hazel hair. “I’m glad you like it. You’ll be living there with me.”

 

“He’s…going to live with you?” Onew said.

 

Minho  frowned and glanced back at the older prince. “Yes, I’m the only child of the kings of my kingdom so that makes me the heir. You’re the heir of your kingdom, Onew, not Taemin, so Taemin would come with me and be my queen when I take over. Did you just realize that now?”

 

Onew sighed. “I forgot.”

 

“Taemin can visit us often,” Seunghyun said.

 

“Us?” Onew asked and grinned.

 

“Yes, you have Seunghyun to keep you company so you won’t miss me too much,” Taemin said smiling back at his brother.

 

“And we have no plans to go back to our kingdom,” Jonghyun said fluttering close to Minho. “We can deliver messages and help out if you like.”

 

“Is that really alright with you, Jonghyun?” Minho  asked the fairy prince.

 

“I wasn’t an heir, just the son of a cousin to the king. And what does a fairy kingdom need with a witch?”

 

“They’d execute  me if I went back, or drive me out,” Key said matter-of-factly.

 

“Which is why I don’t want to go back,” Jonghyun added and fluttered over to the witch fairy.

 

“That’s fine by me,” Minho  said. “It’d be nice to have an easier way to send messages back and forth.”

 

“But, Minho,” Seunghyun said and Minho  turned to him, “you said ‘kings’. You have two fathers?”

 

“Yes, though they’re young, they’re kings. Well technically one of them should be called a queen, but since the father that birthed me is the actual heir, it’s a bit strange. It’s…all a bit strange,” Minho  explained feeling nervous.

 

“Equal ruling between the ruling married couple. It sounds like a nice idea. Would you do that with Taemin?”

 

Minho  looked down at Taemin. The younger prince scrunched up his face. “I don’t mind sharing government and economical stuff with him or letting him into meetings but I would rather Taemin not go into battles. Both my fathers go on quests, not always together.”

 

“I only want to go on a quest if I’m with you. I’m okay with just being a little more than a queen,” Taemin said.

 

“Make sure he’s more than just a queen. He’s going to make a handsome man when he gets older,” Onew said.

 

Minho  laughed. “I’m looking forward to that.”

 

Taemin nudged Minho. “Aren’t I man enough already?”

 

Minho  didn’t mention he was still wearing female garbs or how he doubted, even in old age, if Taemin would ever not suit more feminine styles, but he could see him become less of a child and more of a man. His pale skin was already slightly tanned from the trip. “You’ll always be man enough for me.”

 

“How much further is it?” Key asked. “I know we said we could fly for longer and faster than you all can walk, but it’s been three days since we left the town and all we have seen are these hills and a couple sheep about thirty minutes back.”

 

Minho  thought for a moment. He pulled the wagon to a stop and closed his eyes listening. He smiled. “There, you hear that?”

 

“What, why did you stop?” Onew asked.

 

“It’s the ocean, listen.”

 

“I hear it,” Taemin said. Minho  looked down at his fiancé, lashes closed, head leaning on Minho’s shoulder. Brown orbs opened to meet Minho’s. “It sounds happy.”

 

“It’s happy because its prince is home,” Minho  said. “We just passed the border of our rural lands. You’ll start seeing clusters of houses soon.”

 

“How long until we get to the city?” Onew asked.

 

“Not long, two hours at the most. You can see the outline of the castle in the distance.”

 

“That gray building in the fog?” Taemin pointed to the shape covered by the thick fog on the horizon.

 

“Yeah, it’s pretty up close.”

 

“Your home?”

 

Minho  smiled at Taemin. “Our home.”

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

“It’s…so big!” Taemin exclaimed they stood before the castle of the Easter Sea.

 

“Of course it is, it’s the only big kingdom on this side anymore,” Minho  said climbing off the wagon. He reached up to help Taemin off swinging his fiancé in a circle. The younger prince laughed.

 

“You must have though our kingdom was pretty small in comparison when you saw it,” Onew said.

 

“Big things become unimpressive when everything is always bigger than you,” Key said.

 

“That’s about how I felt,” Minho answered. “Living as a frog for so many months everything was big and so I wasn’t really surprised. It’s still kind of like that, but it is a bit much isn’t it?”

 

“Minho!”

 

Minho  looked up to see two men dressed in high collared almost militaristic suits standing at the foot of the castle’s steps. One of them had dark hair and a defined face, streamlined in nature and with wide nostrils. The other stood with brown-gold hair smiling with gums showing at his son. Minho  smiled back and took a step forward only for the first man to rush forward and envelope him in a sobbing hug.

 

“D-Dad, you can…stop crying, com on dad,” Minho  said patting his father on the back as he returned the hug.

 

“Oh my son you’re not green anymore. You still look like a frog, but you’re not green. And you grew taller. How do you grow taller even as a frog?” his father cried.

 

The other man came down still smiling though not as genuinely as before. He placed a hand on the other man’s head and moved it down in a soft caress before grabbing his ear and tugging the first man off Minho bit it. “Donghae, stop crying, you’re a king. Kings don’t cry in front of others, especially not their own son. And hello Minho, it’s nice to see you tall and not green.”

 

Minho  bowed a bit to the second man. “Hello Father.”

 

There was a tug on his sleeve and Minho  looked to see Taemin grinning at him eagerly. Minho  wrapped an arm around his waist. “Taemin, guys, I would like you to meet my parents, the kings of the Eastern Kingdom, Donghae and Eunhyuk. Dad, Father, I want to introduce my true love, the boy that broke my curse, Taemin, and his elder brother Onew, Prince Seunghyun, and these are two fairies who’ve been journeying with us, Key and Jonghyun.” Taemin, Onew, and Seunghyun bowed respectfully and the fairies came out of their hiding spots fluttering closer.

 

“You have quite the entourage there, Minho,” the first man, Donghae, said, tears drying on his face.

 

Eunhyuk moved at grabbed Taemin’s face between his hands and tilted his face up. “You sure this is a boy? He’s awfully pretty.”

 

Taemin’s cheeks turned red and he looked at the king in surprised before pouting.

 

“Aww and cute.”

 

Minho  laughed. “I’m one hundred percent sure, Father. But if we could go inside, I have something to discuss with you.”

 

“A wedding?” Eunhyuk asked.

 

“Something along those lines.”

 

Eunhyuk nodded and let go of Taemin. “Donghae, would you start the preparations for an engagement party while I lead our guests and son in?”

 

Donghae looked between his partner and the entourage of his son and nodded. “I’ll get right on that party.”

 

Eunhyuk waited until Donghae had gone inside before turning to his guests. “Come along and we’ll find someone comfortable to talk. Your things will be taken up to your rooms. I supposing Taemin will be staying with you, Minho. And prince Seunghyun, by the looks of it, you’ll be staying with Prince Onew?”

 

“Yes to both, Father,” Minho  said and led the group in following the king into the castle.

 

They walked up multiple flights of stairs, Minho  keeping a firm hand gripped around Taemin’s, until they came to a great sitting room in the kings’ personal chambers.

 

“This should be a pleasant discussion, correct, we’ll make it appear so,” Eunhyuk said and sat in a large armchair.

 

Minho  took the loveseat and shook his head when a maid, smiling sweetly at him, tried to serve them tea.

 

“It’s fine, Yuri, they’ll have plenty to eat at the party later, make sure to inform the other maids of the party,” Eunhyuk said and they were left alone.

 

“Father, I want to marry Taemin,” Minho  said as soon as the servants had left.

 

Eunhyuk nodded. “Of course I knew that, Minho. You would naturally marry your true love. I did mine.”

 

“Yes, but we have a problem,” Taemin piped up. “Sire, we would very much like your help.”

 

“Wait, Taemin,” Onew said. “Don’t you and King Donghae rule together mutually? Shouldn’t we wait to discuss this until he arrives?”

 

Eunhyuk shook his head. “No, he’s good for coming up with solutions but not for digesting the situation. That’s how we work, I condense everything into its simplest form, he comes up with a simple way of getting there and then we compromise on the harder points.”

 

“That’s fair then,” Onew said and sat back taking Seunghyun’s hand in his.  

 

“Father, I met Taemin at his kingdom of Aurora in the north.”

 

“A Northern prince, he won’t have as hard a time adjusting to our weather. And Aurora, it’s a pleasant place for a prince to grow up I know of it.”

 

“Well we met there and I asked for his hand. The ruling king agreed, but there was a condition,” Minho  said.

 

“And what was the condition?”

 

“To bring back his lost glass slipper.”

 

“To bring back something lost for his youngest son’s hand. It seems far. Are you complaining to me, Minho? That’s not like you, you’re more responsible than that.”

 

Minho  bowed his head. “It’s not that Father. We found the shoe, we were headed back, but…there was an incident and…it was stolen.”

 

“Then take it back. Really Minho, this is not the first time you’ve had to find something and return it.”

 

Minho  sighed. “We know who the thief is though. He was the one who had the shoe. He’s had it for a long time and for some reason he won’t give it back. With how much he wants that shoe, I almost don’t want to take it from him again.”

 

“Whether there is a reason for why the thief refuses to part with the shoe should not matter. You have a reason for taking it and the Aurora king has reasons for wanting it back. Perhaps the reasons are connected but things aren’t always so simple. You know that, Minho. Didn’t living as a frog help understand patience and determination?”

 

Minho  felt shame build up inside him and leaned forward. He knew Eunhyuk was right, his father was right. He needed to continue the quest. “You’re right, Father. I’ll continue the quest.”

 

Eunhyuk stood up and patted his son’s shoulder. “That’s my son. Now, I’ll allow you to send a letter to Aurora explaining your predicament as a sort of update to the king, but, unless he withdraws you, you’ll continue to search for that shoe and then marry this boy beside you. I’ll also have Donghae send a letter to them telling King…it’s Heechul, correct, that we agree to this arrangement and look forward to having our kingdoms connected by such a happy means. You’ll make a wonderful son-in-law, Taemin, I can already tell the joy you’ll bring.”

 

“Thank you, your majesty,” Taemin said.

 

“Alright, well now that we’ve discussed I think an early party would be good for us all to relieve some stress. Get ready its afternoon already and I need to flaunt my to be son-in-law,” Eunhyuk said and they left to their separate rooms.

 

Minho  opened the door to his chambers and let Taemin marvel at the large area, arches making all the interconnecting rooms seem like one continuous room.

 

“It’s fantastic in here. So opened,” Taemin said and ran off to the bed flopping onto the large mattress that almost swallowed him up with its softness. “I can see you all the way from over here. I think I like this.”

 

Minho  laughed and went over to his closet to pick out clothes bringing out a suit similar to the ones his parents wore but fancier and with less militaristic jewelry. “Taemin, you’ll have to bathe and change, but I don’t have clothes for you to wear.”

 

“I think I have the dress from Prince Yesung’s kingdom still,” Taemin said.

 

“Wouldn’t you rather wear men’s clothing? Our style is much more straight a proper here.”

 

“Do I have to? It’s been so long since I’ve worn clothes made for a man.”

 

There was a knock on the door and Minho  opened it to see a maid holding a yellow frill of clothe toward Minho. “For the prince of Aurora,” she said.

 

Minho  took it and handed it to Taemin.

 

“What is it?” Taemin asked as he began to unfold the material and a smile spread on his face.

 

“It looks like a frilly version of what I first saw you in.”

 

Taemin ran a hand down the layers of the folds on the yellow skirt, large blue diamonds embroidered on them with detailed hand work inside the diamonds. The top was the same maroon red as the threads on the skirt with white and navy blue bands on the long wide sleeves.

 

“I’ve never seen one like this in my kingdom, but this is pretty. I like it, whoever mad it for me, I’m thankful.”

 

Minho  put his hands on Taemin’s shoulder. “They want you to feel comfortable here. You’ll look handsome in it.”

 

“Not beautiful?” Taemin asked beginning to undress and Minho  went to prepare a bath.

 

“You’re always beautiful, Taemin.”

 

They bathed together, innocently to Minho’s surprise, though they did take their times sharing skin and kisses and Minho  washed Taemin’s hair playing with the hazel locks.

 

“Your hair’s growing, Taemin.”

 

“Should I put it in a ponytail then?”

 

Minho  moved his hands in Taemin’s hair and made a small ponytail then a bun. “You could though I like it down.”

 

“Down it is then.

 

“Do you want me to help you get dressed?” Minho  asked.

 

Taemin laughed. “You’ve never put one of those on I think, but sure, then you’ll know better how to take it off. I’ll help you with yours, too.”

 

Minho  kissed Taemin’s cheek then sighed. “And…Taemin, I’m sorry about letting the dragon get you…I…I was scared stiff.”

 

“It’s alright, everyone’s scared of dragon. Except me.”

 

Minho  looked at Taemin curiously. “You weren’t scared?”

 

“Not of the dragon, but of what it was doing. Once I was carried off it was kind of fun flying through the sky if not uncomfortable and then I found out it was Krystal controlling it so the dragon itself wasn’t scary at all, it even laid next to me like a bit dog or something. I only got scared when I thought maybe Krystal would make it eat me or it’d roll over me in my sleep and then I wouldn’t be able to marry my Minho.”

 

Minho  laughed and hugged Taemin to him. Really, a boy unafraid of Minho’s biggest fear, how did he get so lucky to find such a perfect other half? “I love you so much, Taemin.”

 


	27. Engagement Party

**Chapter 27 – Engagement Party**

 

 

The fairies had already flown off elsewhere by the time the party was in full swing. The ball room in which it was held fit three long tables of food, different assortments of fish and meat, a table of side dishes, and one stacked high with sweets and drinks, and still there was plenty of room for the large group of dancers as well as the onlookers. There was alcohol too. Onew had not realized this when he had first arrived at the party only a slight bit late so that the announcer would have to introduce him and Seunghyun instead of standing there with the kings having to introduce him self to every royal and higher class that entered. It was a publicity stunt to be honest and also just because Onew had wanted longer helping Seunghyun get ready which mostly consisted of him just touching and kissing his fiancé  while they laid together in the guest bedroom with their clothes folded at the bottom of the bed. Also, it was not his engagement party and buy greeting everyone that came in and having to introduce Seunghyun as his fiancé as well would pull the attention away from Minho  and Taemin and it was Minho’s castle they were in. No, Onew realized it because of the fairies.

 

Jonghyun and Key had floated close to Seunghyun all night. Seunghyun’s close almost seemed to be their home in a sense since that was where they hid most of the time. However, they were given the garbs customary to royals of the Eastern lands and the fitted militaristic outfits in the colors of the sea did not leave much room for the less than foot tall creatures to hide. The guests did not seem quite bothered by them, more amazed of such creatures particularly Key and how something so small could bear the powers of a witch proven by Jonghyun’s dragon wings. The witch fairy seemed annoyed by this and fluttered off somewhere with Jonghyun following behind. Onew was much too preoccupied with his fiancé’s looks to wonder where they were going. Unlike Taemin who dance around comfortably in a modernized version of the feminine garb worn in their kingdom, Seunghyun had been given the same dress as was worn hear, his own kingdom’s symbol pinned in the corner of one of his shoulders. The material was a coffee brown color which Onew had thought was much to plain for a two be queen, but the material was so dark and shiny it resembled the feathers of Seunghyun’s swan form and Onew was stuck in memories of meeting his true love for the first time until he heard the clatter.

 

They were drunk, it was as simple as that. A passage had cleared at the noise for only a second for Onew to see a tipped over mug of beer, nothing special when food and a room full of people were involved. However, Onew had seen the small hand reaching out of the large side ways mug and made his way through the people to help the poor drenched witch fairy out while the fairy prince only laughed at his drunk and soaked lover. Onew watched them argue for a bit before their tiny mouths molded together and he looked away shooing them when small noises reached him. They flew somewhere and Onew did not care much for where as long as they kept their tiny sexual business away from the food. With his preoccupation with the fairies it had not occurred to Onew that his fiancé had followed him to the drinks and taken a mug for himself and a second until he heard the burp behind him and saw Seunghyun with a hand pressed against his lips and cheeks slightly pink.

 

“Excuse me,” Seunghyun said and smiled at Onew. “I never knew I actually liked beer really.”

 

“You shouldn’t drink too much, Seunghyun, we have to keep up face here,” Onew said.

 

Seunghyun nodded and took a sip of the mug he was holding. “This will be my last one. I’m a bit nervous honestly. This is such a high class kingdom, it’s intimidating.”

 

“Aurora is a little smaller but just as old and the atmosphere is much the same as here,” Onew said.

 

Seunghyun frowned down at his much. “I might not make such a good queen then for your kingdom. It seems I don’t do well around other royals that I have to and want to impress. You sure you want to marry me?”

 

Onew wrapped an arm around Seunghyun’s shoulders and placed a reassuring peck on his head before flashing him a full smile. “Of course I want to marry you. I love you.”

 

Seunghyun laughed and sipped his beer eyes moving toward the dance floor. Onew followed his gaze to see his brother dancing in Minho’s arms in the middle of the dance floor, everyone else dancing around them. Taemin was smiling, happy the odd structure of his clothes not hindering his movements as he ushered his fiancé to move with him to the fast music being played.

 

“He looks like he’s really enjoying it,” Seunghyun pointed out.

 

“Yeah, Taemin loves dancing. Before Minho  came he only had two love, dancing and food. He really liked the parties though he was terribly shy of the people. He was always either by the food table or on the dance floor.”

 

“Who did he dance with?” Seunghyun asked.

 

Onew gave him a sheepish smile. “Usually me; I couldn’t really allow him to be in the arms of someone who could potentially try to marry him. I had to protect him.”

 

Seunghyun laughed and turned to rest his head against Onew’s shoulder. “Your protectiveness is amusing. I want to hear more stories about your life in Aurora.”

 

“I’ll tell you more when we get there then I can show you the things that go with the stories.”

 

“I hope we get there soon,” Seunghyun said with a sigh. “And, I would have though your brother had three loves before Minho.”

 

Onew grimaced. He had not been aware of his little brother’s promiscuity though he wasn’t sure if he could call it that when he had only actually slept with Minho. If it was in the conforms of his own room then Onew could only say he was just a normal boy doing what normal boys do, but from what he had heard of how Taemin and Minho  had met Onew would have to question the guards that were always close by especially the ones Onew had follow his brother around when he left on quests. He had the inkling feeling that they had enjoyed their ‘watching’ too much if Taemin was gullible not to know they were there while doing such acts.

 

“Onew,” Seunghyun said and Onew turned his attention away from the dance floor to his fiancé.

 

“Yes?”  
  


Seunghyun sipped his mug then smiled a bit, cheeks flushed. “I would like to dance.”

 

Onew looked at the dance floor. It looked much too crowded and though Onew always danced with Taemin, he did not often dance well with him and it always ended up the younger leading him so he wouldn’t trip over the air between his feet. “I would love to dance with you, but I’m afraid we’ll fall as I’m not all that good.”

 

“I know and I never said we had to dance on the dance floor. There are place where you are good at ‘dancing’.”

 

Onew watched his fiancé for a moment before realizing what he was getting at. “Yes, well…I think it would be okay to leave early but do you really think that’s alright.”

 

“Every night until after our wedding is still our wedding night. I might not get angry like Taemin when I have pent up frustration, but…I do get frustration, Onew…and…” Seunghyun’s voice dropped as he continued, “it’s been so long since you’ve touched me like that.”

 

“We’ve done stuff, Seunghyun.”

 

“I need you _inside_ of me, Onew,” Seunghyun said and looked up at his fiancé with pleading eyes and flushed cheeks.

 

“You’re drunk.”

 

“Only enough that I can say these things to you without going silent. Please.”

 

Onew looked away before nodding and took his fiancé’s hand. “Alright, we’ll slip away for a while.” He led Seunghyun back to their room and shut the door.

 

“You’re not going to resist anymore?” Seunghyun asked.

 

“If you’re offering, how can I say anything more?” Onew asked and moved to the bed only to be pushed down and straddled by Seunghyun.

 

“The just don’t do or say anything at all and let me relieve us both.” Seunghyun started to undo the buttons of the clothes Onew had been given, the jacket then the shirt.

 

“You’re drunk.”

 

Seunghyun nodded. “I have a little confidence now.” Seunghyun leaned down and pressed kisses over Onew’s revealed chest.

 

Onew just smiled and let Seunghyun do as he liked, watching him and making sounds of appreciation. Seunghyun licked up Onew’s chest and looked at him for a second, eyes nervous but determined, before leaning down and initiating a rough tongue filled kiss. Onew jumped when he felt his fiancé’s hands move down his body and begin on his pants pushing them down. Onew reached up and tugged on Seunghyun’s collar undoing the first few buttons before Seunghyun pushed his hands away and started undoing his own buttons with a drunk smirk on his lips. He got completely naked kneeling over Onew’s body and pushed down rubbing himself against Onew’s member that was hard and eager to get inside.

 

“You want inside me, too, right?” Seunghyun asked tilting his head and smiled.

 

“Definitely,” Onew said and his hips moved up pressing into the crease of Seunghyun’s bottom.

 

Seunghyun grabbed Onew’s hand and brought it to his mouth licking Onew’s fingers accompanied by little moans until they were thoroughly coated and he guided them to his bottom. Onew moved his other hand and grabbed one of his fiancé’s firm cheeks, spreading and moved his coated fingers to find Seunghyun’s hole, slipping a finger in and started to prep him.

 

“Ah…mnh, Onew,” Seunghyun moaned, face over and so close to Onew’s.

 

Onew watched with fascination as Seunghyun moaned just from his fingers, quivering with pain and pleasure. When Seunghyun leaned down and clumsily kissed him, Onew knew he was ready and removed his fingers. Seunghyun broke the kiss and moved away crawling to the head of the bed and leaned his body into a slant, his bottom presented to the elder prince.

 

“Onew, get inside of me. Please~,” Seunghyun said, voice low and needy.

 

Onew crawled after and kneeled behind his fiancé. He grabbed Seunghyun’s hips and pressed quickly inside Seunghyun moaning at the tight heat he was met with. Seunghyun shivering was the only sign of discomfort he showed at the penetration. Long moments past before Onew dared move inside his drunken fiancé. Seunghyun gasped and a moan slipped from his lips. His head snapped back when Onew picked up his pace and tried to angle himself differently.

 

“Yes…yes…” Seunghyun chanted, hips rocking back.

 

Onew was overcome by the other’s heat added on top of everything else he enjoyed about Seunghyun and could only moan back that he felt it too, the pleasure so close to release. He came first deep inside Seunghyun as the younger prince whimpered and begged to reach his end. He flopped over on Seunghyun’s back and reached under him to stroke his hard leaking member. Only a few touches and Seunghyun came loosing strength and flopped onto the bed with Onew on top of him.

 

Onew kissed Seunghyun’s shoulder and pulled out running a hand down his fiancé’s sweaty back. “You feeling a bit more sober now?”

 

Seunghyun sighed and turned his flushed face to Onew. “A little, but I still want to go again.”

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

Taemin laughed as they swung in circles to the music. Minho  could do nothing but laugh along and enjoy himself and his fiancé’s happy beauty. It felt as if they had been dancing for hours in the middle of the throng of dancing guests. He half wondered why he wasn’t tired yet but all Minho  had to do was look at Taemin’s joyous face to understand. He never knew his fiancé loved dancing so much and honestly Minho  much preferred it to being chauffeured around by his parents and having to stand aside as they presented his pretty fiancé to the lords and ladies of the Eastern kingdom. He kept a first grip on Taemin’s waist as men glanced over him in lust and women in jealousy. Sometimes the looks stopped when they realized Taemin was indeed a boy contradictory to his choice of clothing as that was how his culture raised their people, but other times it just urged the feelings to shift. Minho  made sure to prompt Taemin into saying flattery words to Minho more so than the others and was glad when Taemin seemed to realize Minho  needed him to say that to get potential ‘threats’ to back off. He didn’t need someone trying to steal his Taemin from him not that they could.

 

When the introductions died down women kept coming up to Taemin and tried to whisk him away either asking for dances or just to chat. Taemin did dance with a few of them but seemed uncomfortable with the girl chatter and Minho  laughed at that, but he allowed it as Donghae continuously pulled him into conversations with the other lords on military or government or games. Eunhyuk shared his son’s slight annoyance with the talking and with grasp his shoulder in apology when he excused himself to check up on the party particularly the line up of music and dancing prepared. Minho  knew his birth father liked talking as much as Minho  did about military strategy and subjects he hoped never need be put into practice.

 

Eventually, Minho  was able to spirit Taemin away and the place his fiancé wanted to go the most was the dance floor. That suited Minho  just fine as it was perfectly suitable for the prime people of the party to spend their time having fun. It was their engagement party after all, spending hours in the middle of the dance floor together could not be argued with. Except, now Minho  was tired and he could see sweat starting up on Taemin’s forehead.

 

“Should we get off the dance floor now?” Minho  offered when their dance ended.

 

Taemin nodded. “I want food and drink.”

 

Minho  took Taemin by the hand and led him to the food tables helping him to gather what he liked until they ended up at the drinks where Eunhyuk and Donghae stood contemplating the drinks.

 

“Is there something wrong?” Minho  inquired.

 

Donghae smiled at Minho  and Taemin. “Good to see you two off the dance floor finally. You’ve been there for an hour or more by now.”

 

“There’s beer,” Eunhyuk said.

 

“We don’t usually serve alcohol unless there’s a visiting party from another kingdom that demands it. Onew, Seunghyun, and Taemin are fine without it.”

 

“Yes, I didn’t order for them to bring beer out,” Donghae explained. “It must have been a mix up, but it seems quite a few have already been drinking it.”

 

“We’ll just have to make sure this is the only batch that’s served,” Eunhyuk said.

 

“Why is the beer a problem?” Taemin asked looking at them with curious eyes.

 

Eunhyuk moved around to pat the prince on his sweaty hair. “It’s not we just prefer to keep our subjects in good temperament and alcohol can affect that. And the smell is strong so it’s hard to tell if it has been tampered with.”

 

“Also,” Donghae said. “I can’t drink it.”

 

“And why is that?” Taemin asked.

 

Minho  turned to his fiancé and leaned in to whisper into his ear. “My dad’s a mermaid.”

 

Taemin gasped and looked at Donghae with admiring eyes. “Really? That’s really amazing!”

 

Donghae smiled and made a quiet gesture. Eunhyuk patted Taemin’s head again. “You’re all sweaty and I’m sure you’re tired. The party has died down and I don’t see your brother and entourage around. They must have retired, how about you two leave early as well. Wedding night before the wedding in Aurora, correct Taemin? No one will fault you for disappearing.”

 

Minho  took Taemin’s hand and not much later found himself under Taemin’s skirt sucking his fiancé off as the other held his hand above his head on the archway of Minho’s bedroom.

 

“M…Minho~, let me…clothes off,” Taemin moaned, hips moving against Minho’s mouth.

 

Minho  moved his mouth away and licked a trail up Taemin’s thigh before moving from under his skirt and stood. He reached out and began to unwrap Taemin’s top, sliding it off his shoulders then tugged on the skirt to let the layers of material fall to the floor in a pool around his feet. Taemin’s hands reached out and began to undo Minho’s jacket and he fell on his knees as he pulled Minho’s pants off. It was Minho’s turn to brace him self against the archway as the younger prince returned the favor, mouthing working on him until Minho  tugged those locks of hazel hair into giving way. He led Taemin to the bed by the small of his back, more on his bottom then his back. He smacked Taemin’s bottom lightly when they reached the end of the large bed and the younger prince gave a gasped moan before climbing onto the bed. His body melded into the soft mattress and he turned onto his back, legs spread out invitingly toward Minho, one hand stroking him self and his other arm thrown over his head.

 

“Minho~” Taemin mewled beckoning his fiancé over. 

 

Minho  grabbed a bottle from his drawer and climbed on top of Taemin. He leaned down and kissed him devouring Taemin’s plush lips before moving to take bits of his skin between his teeth. “You taste like beer.”

 

Taemin moaned. “I had some before they mentioned it.”

 

Minho  coated his fingers and moved them to Taemin’s whole. “It’s fine. You’re with me now.” It wasn’t like Taemin was going to go stripping like he had when they had first met Taemin’s father and gone to the tavern together.

 

Taemin was whiny and urged Minho  to make quicker work of him. Soon Minho  sheathed himself inside Taemin and moaned at the heat surrounding him. Taemin’s hips moved causing friction and Minho  began to thrust hard into his fiancé adjusting himself to the moans that slipped out of Taemin’s lips until their naked bodies were covered in sweat and Taemin came hard shifting his body and clamping onto Minho inside him for Minho  to come to his own end. Minho  pulled out only for Taemin to turn onto his stomach and lift his hips with a whine and Minho  slid in again.

 

They fell asleep naked and entangled in each other. The soft dip of the bed had Minho  awake and he slowly rose blinking around the dark room He frowned and reached out to the side of the bed to bring Taemin back to his cold chest only to find the only body in the bed was his own. He sat up and blinked again. The room was much too dark.

 

“Taemin?”


	28. Missing Bed

**Chapter 28 – Missing Bed**

 

 

Onew rose to the frantic call of his name not in the throws of passion as had been the melody into his ears all night, but the cries of his desperate little brother. He shot up from bed and looked over at Seunghyun sitting up and staring back at him just as alarmed.

 

“Onew! Brother!” The voice was followed by a blur in white racing into the bedroom and straight into Onew’s arms. He was shaking, not crying yet but Onew knew he would soon be streaming tears if Onew didn’t comfort his brother’s worries.

 

“What’s wrong, Taemin?” Seunghyun asked before he could.

 

“M-Minho,” Taemin said.

 

“What did he do?” Onew asked pulling his brother away from his chest.

 

Taemin shook his head and went back to clinging to his brother. “He’s gone! I went to the bathroom and when I came back the whole bed was gone with him in it!”

 

Onew wasn’t sure what to make of that. Minho  disappearing in the middle of the night was suspicious enough, but this was his own castle so Taemin could just be exaggerating over something that wasn’t such a big deal. Then again, Minho  and the bed was a bit overdoing it for a nightly rendezvous of nostalgia.

 

“Onew, what do you think happened?” Seunghyun asked.

 

Onew turned to the window and frowned seeing a mass around the castle and then a loud boom. “Something bad.”

 

They raced out of the room only to be met by Minho’s frantic parents. Their eyes traveled to Taemin and deep frowns creased their faces.

 

“Taemin, where’s Minho?” Eunhyuk asked.

 

“Gone, the bed too.”

 

“The dungeons,” Donghae sighed. “The clouds are around the castle and anyone would have noticed magic anywhere else.”

 

“Magic?” Taemin asked. “I’ve never seen it like this before.”

 

“Unconcentrated magic on a large scale. An amateur is attempting the only spells they know, large ones,” Donghae said.

 

“Mother said you’re supposed to start small so you don’t affect the environment around you, he knows some magic,” Onew said.

 

Eunhyuk nodded. “I’ve heard King Heechul has a great deal of magic knowledge though he hasn’t classified himself as a witch.”

 

“It must be someone close to a witch,” Donghae said.

 

“We don’t have a witch anymore, Donghae,” Eunhyuk said. “We cast her out when Minho turned into a frog. She didn’t have any friends in the castle around that time either.”

 

“Not any we knew about.” Donghae stared down at the floor, his eye brows furrowed.

 

Onew found the tense energy between the two kings curious, but he didn’t have time to contemplate their discussion as another boom clashed through the castle.

 

“She’s planning something big; I can’t just let something happen to him again. He covered me once I have to return that favor to our son,” Donghae said.

 

Eunhyuk nodded and led them to the dungeons. Booms continued to crack through the castle and Onew could feel his throat tighten with the stuffy air the closer they got to the course of the magic. After a while he got use to it, but he felt thirsty and kept an eye more on Taemin clinging to the back of Eunhyuk’s shirt with one hand following behind the two kings than to his fiancé who was use to harsher environments and had lived months under a spell himself.

 

“Your majesties, how much further?” Taemin asked. “I’m worried about Minho.”

 

“We’re all worried about Minho,” Eunhyuk said and reached behind him to pull Taemin to him, an arm around his shoulders. “It’s not too much further, but it’ll be dangerous soon.”

 

“I’m okay. I can fight, too,” Taemin said.

 

“You don’t have anything to fight with, Taemin. None of us do,” Onew pointed out. Donghae stopped and looked around. “There are swords hanging in the halls, just grab the first ones you see and use them.”

 

“I don’t think swords will do much against a witch, we’ve fought one before,” Seunghyun said.

 

“It’ll do something at least.” Donghae stopped and pulled two swords from their display handing one to Eunhyuk.

 

“It would be better if we had Key and Jonghyun,” Onew said.

 

“Where are your fairy friends?” Eunhyuk asked.

 

“Don’t know where they ended up. They got drunk off the beer and went off somewhere together.”

 

“Brother, the kings said they weren’t supposed to serve alcohol at the party, someone brought it without them knowing.”

 

Onew frowned. “Was it laced then?”

 

“I drank it and I just got…that and drunk,” Seunghyun said.

 

“I drank some, too,” Taemin added, “and it was the same as the time I got drunk with Father before we met up with Onew.”

 

“Then perhaps it was a diversion,” Onew said.

 

“Your fairies,” Donghae said. “Magical creatures are drawn to alcohol. We don’t put alcohol out for many reasons, one is because of that. I’m a magical creature myself. No matter what happened, I would be dead asleep right now if I had drunk it. All they want is pleasure a sleep much the same as a normal person but with much much less of it.”

 

“You’re a magical creature, King Donghae?” Seunghyun asked.

 

“Did Minho  tell you we have mermaids?” Eunhyuk asked. “Well Minho’s half mermaid.”

 

Onew was a little stunned by the idea that a mermaid stood before him, that he had spent the past month in the presence of a half mermaid. Taemin seemed just as impressed with sparkling eyes that stared at Donghae still worry etched in them about Minho.

 

“Come, lets quickly get to the dungeons,” Eunhyuk said and they carried on picking up a couple more swords on the way down lucky that the halls of the castle were so generously decorated in armor and military weaponry though they were old and showed signs of having been used possibly in the wars that led up to the allowance for boy brides and witches.

 

They stopped when they came to a heavy wood door locked and sealed by a piece of wood held by its metal hooks. Donghae pushed the board off and Eunhyuk pulled a ring of keys from around his neck and began to shift through them to open the door. It was pitch black inside, but heavy. Onew could feel something in there, but wasn’t sure what it was. Magic? Maybe just Minho.

 

Taemin pushed past the kings and into the room, Onew reaching out to stop his younger brother.

 

“Minho!”

 

The room suddenly lit up and Onew gasped. A bed sat in the middle of the dungeon floor with Minho  only in breeches looking around curiously. There was a large circle drawn on the floor under the bed and fire inside the few open cells around this section of the dungeons brewing cauldrons where smoke emitted from them. Onew frowned. An amateur witch wouldn’t be able to cast a spell with the aide of a potion induced atmosphere.

 

“Taemin?” Minho  asked as his eyes adjusted to the dark and he looked at them.

 

“Minho,” Taemin said a bit happier and started for his fiancé, but Onew reached out and grabbed him from running forward. “Let me go Brother, I want to go to Minho!”

 

“No, wait Taemin, there’s something wrong here.”

 

“Right you are, elder prince of Aurora,” said a female voice. Onew turned to where it had come from and saw a girl in servant’s clothes step out and approach the bed. “Hmm, I didn’t mean to bring the whole bed but I had meant to teleport two objects from that location here. The younger prince has a very lucky bladder.”

 

“Yuri,” Eunhyuk said.

 

The girl smiled. “Hello, Your Majesties.”

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

Minho  was confused by the turn of events. He knew he was not in his bedroom, he could tell that by how dark the room had been though he was still definitely in his bed. The sight if Taemin standing across the room looking at him half relieved and half scared finally let where he was process into his brain. The dungeons, why was he in the dungeons? And who was this Yuri girl, he couldn’t remember someone like her being employed at the castle before he left.

 

“Who is this, Father?” Minho  asked starting to move from the bed. The moment his foot touched the ground, the bed burst into flames and he jumped back. Taemin got loose from his brother’s hold and ran into Minho’s arms. Minho  held his fiancé tight to him kissing the younger prince on top of his head.

 

“It’s a girl that was employed after you left, Minho,” Eunhyuk answered.

 

Donghae added, “Some people thought by casting out the witch we were going against the roll we played in the war and left so we needed new employement.”

 

Yuri laughed. “You really shouldn’t let men do your hiring, especially single men, they’re much too easy to manipulate with pretty looks and even the smallest spell.”

 

“You’re a witch?” Minho  asked.

 

“No, but my lover was, or I should say friend because she was always pinning after that man,” Yuri said and pointed at Donghae.

 

“Jessica,” Donghae said.

 

Yuri nodded. “Yes, you know her well, she gave you everything only wanting your happiness but then she realized you would never be hers and came back to take revenge.”

 

“Who’s Jessica?” Taemin asked.

 

Minho  started walking back to where the others were gathered. “Jessica was the witch that cursed me. I don’t know much else about her.”

 

“She use to be the court’s witch,” Eunhyuk said. “That was our thank you to her for all she had done for Donghae and me. Minho, you were only a few years old when she left, a young witch prodigy. We were sad to see her go and then to come back with so much anger.”

 

“I met her then, when she left, at a witch’s cove and she started to teach me, but it’s hard to love two people so she started to hate you which was fine by me, but then she took revenge and do you know how dead she looks now? She’s a shell because the child she helped you bare was cursed. You should have just let her curse you Donghae and kill your so called true love.”

 

“Wait, does that mean you’re the one that sent Krystal on us?” Minho  asked.

 

“Yes, that girl is Jessica’s sister. She was very willing to help. I was hoping to keep you guys from reaching Aurora or this kingdom too soon. I’m more interested in making the child completely devastated then the kings. If they’re both dead and you’re without your true love, what kind of kingdom will you run?” Yuri asked and laughed.

 

“You’re a horrible lady,” Taemin said and pulled away from Minho.

 

“I’ll accept that, but I’m just finishing the revenge of another.”

 

Yuri walked over to the burning bed and lifted her hands beginning to chant words.

 

“What do you plan to do, Yuri?” Minho  asked.

 

“Don’t bother asking, just stop her,” Onew said and readied his sword in front of her. “There’s only one of her and more of us. I’ll even forget that she’s a girl, she threatened us and who know where Key and Jonghyun are.”

 

“Onew’s right, but I don’t think it’s safe to go at her until we know what she’s doing,” Eunhyuk said.

 

“Taemin, stop!” Minho  yelled.

 

The younger prince ran toward Yuri, ignoring the fire that lessened as the bed burned, and knocked himself into the woman. She screamed and fell backwards reaching out and grabbing Taemin’s hair to get him off.

 

“Taemin, stop, you can’t fight with an amateur witch hands on or alone,” Minho  said.

 

“You heard your prince, get off me you little brat or I really will kill you,” Yuri threatened.

 

“No, you’re stupid. With this much magical atmosphere I can do a little magic, too,” Taemin said. He lifted a hand and sparks flew down at the witch. She covered her face and screamed as they burned, not much hotter then speck of oil and Taemin jumped away quickly.

 

“Ah, you little…” Yuri stood up and shook her burnt spotted arms. “I…I’ll kill you, I’ll ruin you and then kill you and I’ll kill those kings as well!” She lifted her hands and clouds formed around them and she shot them at the group still near the dungeon door. Onew pushed Seunghyun with him out of the way. The two kings tried to do the same, but standing in front of the others, they had less time to move and Donghae pushed Eunhyuk just as the clouds hit. They turned to water on contact and Donghae stood there soaked, head bowed.

 

“Water?” Onew asked. “What is water going to do to him?”

 

“It’s not just water, it’s salt water,” Yuri said and smirked.

 

Donghae’s body started to contort, his pants ripping as his legs began to contort together and he slipped to the ground half fish half man, silver blue scales of his legs shimmering with a fiery glow from the fire under the cauldron pots.

 

“Dad!” Minho  yelled.

 

“He really is a mermaid,” Taemin said softly.

 

“Yes he is and it’ll take him hours for the salt water to dry off, until then, he’s completely useless on land, his worst nightmare. I’ll deal with him last,” Yuri said and then started to gather more magic clouds the potion cauldrons created. “And now, time for you two to be taken care of.”

 

Yuri started to throw the magic at Taemin and Minho, but Onew charged, sword drawn, at the witch. She spun and threw the magic at Onew the blocked the first hit with his sword.

 

“Your prince lived as a swan for a while I believe, lets see how you like living as an animal, too,” she said and threw a second cloud at Onew.

 

The color of the sparks that traveled with the clouds, Minho  was familiar with them. He didn’t think twice about running, he hadn’t thought twice the first time he had done so. At least this time when the magic hit his body, the sudden contortion of his body didn’t surprise him so much, but it did hurt, maybe more this time.

 

“Minho!” Taemin rushed toward Minho. Minho  almost wanted to laugh at how big Taemin looked from down here, he didn’t remember Taemin looking big the first time but that might be because he had readjusted to being tall again. Ah, he wanted to be tall again, to embrace Taemin in his arms. He could do that later, that was how the spell was broken anyways.

 

“He’s a frog!” Onew yelled.

 

“Minho, not again,” Eunhyuk said from his place beside defeated Donghae.

 

Taemin picked Minho up and held the frog prince close to his chest. “Oh Minho, I’ll make you better again, I promise.”

 

Minho  tried to speak but only a croak came out. He frowned as  much as a frog could frown remembering that it took a while before he could get his froggy lungs to work in a human way and speak. He nuzzled into Taemin’s chest in reply.

 

“What an idiot this prince is,” Yuri said. “Well, now I just have to terrorize your little prince.”

 

“You’re not doing anything to my brother,” Onew said and pointed the sword at the witch.

 

“Okay, you first then. I’ll make your worst dream come true,” she said and smoke headed for Onew again, black wrapping around his face, a tight blind fold.

 

“Hey, hey no, get this off, I can’t see anything,” Onew said frantically calling at his face.

 

“Brother, stop that you’ll hurt yourself,” Taemin said.

 

Seunghyun went to his fiancé and tried to help remove the blind fold but it stuck stead fast to his face.

 

“Seems the crown prince of Aurora doesn’t like the dark,” Yuri said amused and turned back to Taemin. “Now you.”

 

Smoke shot at Taemin, wrapping around him and Minho, slowly shifting into an array of flying bugs. Taemin screamed but Minho  just laughed as much as a frog could laugh.

 

“Tae…min,” he croaked and snapped his tongue out at the bugs, “protect…you…just bugs.”

 

Taemin seemed to understand and sat on the ground curled up as the bugs went at him, Minho trying to catch most of them.

 

“Taemin, you can burn the bugs,” Seunghyun said still struggling with Onew and the blindfold. “Bugs will burn.”

 

Minho  stopped to watch his fiancé’s hands turn to torches and he began to wave his hands at the bugs burning them when they came to close. Minho  continued to snap his tongue at some of the bugs as well.

 

“Is this all the magic you know, Yuri,” Eunhyuk said standing up with his sword. “Do you only know how to create water, how to create people’s nightmares? Do you only know that one curse. You’re limited.”

 

“You may think so, but I only need to know your nightmares to defeat you. And to kill you. Once you’re dead and all the others I’ll turn King Donghae into a real fish and he’ll live his life running from boats and sharks because his curse will never be able to be lifted if his true love is dead.”

 

“How do you expect to defeat me, I have no nightmare, none that can be conjured up by an amateur witch at least.”

 

“I don’t need your worse fear, your nightmare King Eunhyuk, your son has a nightmare that could kill you. I learned it via Krystal.” Yuri waved his arms and a huge cloud of smoke began to form in the room.

 

Minho  shivered. His worse fear learned by Krystal could only mean one thing.

 

Dragon.

 

The cloud for settled and shrank taking on the form of a dragon.

 

“It’s…small,” Taemin said starting down at the dog sized dragon.

 

Minho  wanted to scoff but he was too busy shaking in his froggy body to care about the size of the creature, it was still a dragon and it was still big enough to eat him.

 

“You, you’re using my magical atmosphere,” Yuri said pointing at Taemin. “I should have had enough to form a dragon the size of this room.”

 

Eunhyuk stood and pointed his sword at Yuri. “Too bad, you really shouldn’t have come alone if you planned something of this scale to this many people. Amateur.”

 

The dragon growled and snapped its teeth at Minho. Minho  started to run for it. The dragon pursued.

 

Yuri laughed. “You call me amateur, but look at that, what a wimp your prince is running from a dog like dragon. He’ll be eaten and then we’ll see who the amateur is. An amateur prince.”

 

Minho  couldn’t help it. He was a frog, perhaps as a prince the dog sized dragon would have been nothing, but at this size it was just the same as an actual dragon. He was an amateur, he couldn’t get a shoe, he couldn’t fight a dragon; he should have never gone to that garden, he deserved to be a frog.

 

“Don’t stay that about Minho!”

 

Something came flying at Minho’s head and he paused. The dragon let out a whimper and moved backwards. They both turned to see Taemin, hands still burning throwing little fire balls at the dragon. Right, Taemin wasn’t afraid of dragons and Minho wasn’t afraid of bugs.

 

Minho  leaped toward Taemin. He’d hate to have to use his fiancé as a shield, but he’d be Taemin’s shield every other day and had been up until now. Right now he was weaker than the younger prince. He needed to know what he could do to help without being chased by a dragon.

 

“Hey, witch!” Seunghyun said. He picked up a sword and tore the bandanna from Onew’s face with it then started at Yuri. Onew followed after blinking to regain his eyesight from the darkness of the blindfold.

 

Yuri shot magic at the trying to defend herself. Eunhyuk started for her as well.

 

“Give up Yuri,” Eunhyuk said and started for her as well, “you’re surrounded and there’s not much magical atmosphere left.”

 

Yuri laughed. “No, I won’t give up. I burned that bed for a reason.”

 

The ashes of the burnt bed rose into the air and reformed themselves into vines encaging the king and the two princes. They chopped at the vines only to have more form. Taemin was running out of magic to throw at the small dragon and Minho  didn’t know what to do with his Dad just crawling around trying to make his way to Eunhyuk to help, useless on land in his mermaid form just as Yuri had said.

 

“Minho!” Taemin yelled knocked over by the dragon. The creature mounted him and hissed, a claw around his neck.

 

Like that, the dragon really did seem small. He could have kicked it if he was his normal sized. What could he do as a frog? Minho  leaned and grabbed onto the back of the dragon’s leg with his little frog teeth. It yowled like a cat and snapped and Minho. Taemin kicked it off.

 

Yuri laughed. “You are all useless, I don’t understand how Jessica had ever wanted to be part of this.”

 

“Oh, there you guys are, I’ve been looking for you…oh.”

 

Minho  turned to see a fairy floating in the entrance of the dungeons. Jonghyun.

 

“Key?” he croaked out.

 

“Oh hey Minho, you’re a frog. Key, he’s passed out, who’s the pretty girl?” Jonghyun asked then his face fell. “Pretty girl, shit, and Key’s not here.”

 

Minho  watched as the fairy prince’s face fell and eyes turned dark. He shot at Yuri, little hands pulling at her hair and clawing at her face. Yuri screamed and tried to get the witch off her.

 

“Taemin, cauldrons,” Minho  croaked out at the younger prince and started biting the dragon-dog’s legs again.

 

Taemin rushed to the fires and kicked the cauldrons off their fires. He used the last bit of magic in the air to create water putting the fires out and. Without the magic atmosphere to enhance Yuri’s magic, the vines stopped reproducing and the dragoon stilled whimpering at the bites.

 

Yuri was on the floor crying as Jonghyun continued to attack her. Seunghyun moved first pulling the fairy prince away and Onew and Eunhyuk grabbed her.

 

“You surrender?” Eunhyuk asked.

 

Yuri only sighed as they pulled her out of the dungeon.


	29. A Tale of a Merman

**Chapter 29 – A Tale of a Merman**

 

 

The water was black, blacker than the sky it reflected with all the shadows that moved beneath its mirror surface. The mermaid prince stared up into the distorted sky from the depths of the merpeople kingdom. He stared at the sky with longing and fascination. Birds didn’t fly as readily at night as they did during the day and so all there was was black and the rolling dark gray of storm clouds. A storm was headed to their shore by the Eastern Kingdom. The mermaid prince cared not for it, since his seventeenth birthday he had come to stare at the night sky, close to the water’s surface, every night and a storm wouldn’t stop him from getting at least a few minutes of those longing dreams to rush through his body.

 

“Donghae, I knew you were out here, come back to the castle, there’s a storm.”

 

The prince turned to see his younger sister a few feet below him, golden tail much brighter even with the minimal amount of moon light than his own silver blue.

 

“You go back, a shark will eat you swimming around so carelessly, Amber. You’re the one born with a gold tail like father, you’re the heir. Doesn’t really matter what happens to me.”

 

The mermaid princess frowned. “Donghae, you’ve been like this since your birthday, why the depression?”

 

Donghae reached a hand up, fingers almost breaking the surface of the water. “I want to fly, Amber. I want to breathe fresh air and know of the things that killed father.”

 

“Human war killed father. Why do you want to know of humans and such things? They’re just greedy for land, there’s so much less of it than the ocean and so many more people to share it with.”

 

“They don’t just fight over land, Amber; there are reasons to fight sometimes. We fight the sharks and predatory animals for our safety; they fight each other for the same reasons. I want to know what freedom they were looking for that would cause them to bring their war to our ocean; that would cause them to kill the merpeople’s king.”

 

“They’re land people, we’re water people, there’s no need to go to them just as there is no need for them to bother us. It was an accident. Quickly come back to the castle, the storm has already begun, feel the waves.”

 

“I feel them Amber. Maybe they’ll push me onto the land just like the wind pushes the humans onto the sea sometimes. What does land feel like, do you think, what does it feel like to walk instead of swim, to be able to do both. We speak the same language; we’re half the same species, why can’t we let them know we exist? I want to know their hardships, too.”

 

Amber reached out and touched Donghae’s tail. “Quickly, brother, come along and muse about the humans in your bedroom where it’s safe.”

 

Donghae swam out of reach and turned back to look at the sky. His view was disturbed by a large mass moving toward him.

 

“Ship,” Amber said and swam lower. “Brother, come, there’s a ship.”

 

“I’ll come along after, just a while longer.”

 

As the ship moved closer, Amber swam away. Donghae stayed stationary and stared at the ship as it came. It was hard not to move with the currents moving about him, but he learned how to fight them since he was younger, how to move with them and against them. The storm was coming, but the ship hadn’t anchored or stopped, they moved fast away from the storm. Trying to get to shore before it came? Donghae doubted it would make it. He moved out of the way of the ship and let it past. He could hear yelling and music coming from the ship, but it wall all distorted by the water. Donghae had the thought to break through the surface, to see what these humans looked like up close. The clouds would cover him; they wouldn’t worry about something swimming in the water in their rush to get home, right?

 

Donghae broke the surface and stared in awe at the men running around on the wooden vessel. They wore clothe over their chest and more on their legs. Donghae thought legs looked funny, but interesting. What did they feel like? Did they have scales on their legs or fur like the land animals that drowned in the ocean? He barely paid attention to the sensation of air on his face or oxygen in the form of gas not mixed with water. He could breath, but of course, he had gills but he had lungs as well. One man was yelling above them all. Donghae turned to see him. A large stomached man standing beside a blonde man. His facial structure was handsome but reminded him of the fish that swam in the waters. He was much more elegantly dressed, not decorated in shells and pearls like he and his sister and their mother were on special occasions, but earth gems. The princely man turned his head toward Donghae and the mermaid prince dived back under the water to watch safely.

 

But it wasn’t safe; Donghae could feel the current of a large wave moving toward them. He swam down until the water was calm and stared at the swirl of water to the dark blob that represented the ship. It moved rapidly with the wave and another and another. He could almost not hear the screams through the muffle of the water, but he did and he saw the white speck fall into the ocean, golden hair bright and easy to see like Amber’s tail. Donghae didn’t think twice as he swam straight toward the fallen moving through the waves and currents with expertise.

 

It was the princely man. Donghae held him tight in his arms. His face was pale and calm, bubbles moving from his mouth. It took Donghae precious moments to realize the man might be dead, the boy. He was young looking, maybe Donghae’s age, not a man, or just barely. He couldn’t let him die. He moved his ear to his neck and listened for breathing, but there was nothing. He’d die before Donghae go to the surface, and he really couldn’t get to the surface with the storm continuing like this. The mermaid prince brought the human closer and held his face before melding his lips against the human’s and breathe air into his legs through his gills. The human gasped and choked and Donghae pressed his lips to his again to take the water the human swallowed and feed him air again. The princely human never opened his eyes, but he seemed to understand in his half consciousness and held his breath until Donghae fed him air again as the merman swam deep below the rough currents, headed toward the Eastern Castle shore.

 

Donghae pushed the prince onto the shore and crawled up after him. The sand felt rough against his scales and skin, but he ignored it in order to make sure the human was awake. He patted the human’s cheeks and leaned down to breath more air into him. The human coughed and sat up, eyes blinking up at Donghae. Donghae only met his eyes for a few seconds to make sure the princely human would survive before he turned and started back into the water.

 

“Wait,” the human coughed.

 

Donghae turned, tail in the water, moving on the rough waves.

 

“You should come out of the water, it’s dangerous,” the human said.

 

“I just saved you, I’m fine in here. This is where I belong.”

 

The human coughed for a while and Donghae should have turned and fled, but he stayed curious to what the human man would say.

 

“Humans…humans don’t belong in the water.”

 

“I’m not human,” Donghae replied and lifted his tail into the air.

 

The human’s eyes widened and he coughed. “Mermaid?...or Merman.”

 

“I am a prince of the merpeople. Since you seem fine with talking to me, and I saved your life, answer me something that has bothered me from young. My father died because of a war you humans brought to the sea, why would you do that?”

 

The human’s eyes saddened. “I was young, I didn’t even know there were mermaids here, I’m sorry. I would have insisted my own father did not go out to see if I had.”

 

“You’re the prince?” Donghae asked.

 

“Yes. I’ll make sure not to bring trouble to your sea again in thank you for saving me,” the human said and smiled. Though he was drenched in sea water, he smiled so brightly, gums showing. Donghae was stunned, how long had it been since he smiled?

 

The human prince’s face suddenly changed. Donghae found the blush that covered his cheeks fascinating. “Your lips…they kept me alive.”

 

Donghae nodded. “I had to breathe air into you. You don’t have gills.”

 

The human prince moved and began to crawl up the beach toward Donghae. “I’ve never had…do you call them kisses?”

 

“Kiss? It’s just sharing air,” Donghae said.

 

The prince moved closer, kneeling in the shallow water, the storm having died down far out into the sea where the ship still hurried to make its way home. Donghae stayed still.

 

“I wonder,” said the prince, “if that was really all it was.”

 

He moved in close and Donghae was surprised by the press of lips against his, melting against his lips like the best of fish and Donghae felt himself slipping his tongue out to taste more. The prince moved back a hand combing his wet hair back.

 

“No, it still feels like you’re breathing life into me now,” the prince said and laughed.

 

“You kissed me,” Donghae said. “I’m a male and a mermaid.”

 

“It doesn’t matter, plus you kissed me back didn’t you?” the prince asked.

 

Donghae frowned. He had but it was unheard of in his underwater kingdom to kiss one of the same species. “How can it not matter, we’re both male unless I am mistaken about you.”

 

The prince shook his head. “You’re not mistaken, but that doesn’t matter here. We fought a war to love who we wanted.”

 

Donghae stared at the prince. “You fought for love?” Not land, his father hadn’t died because of humans and their petty need for more land, but for love. Though it still lay heavy on his heart, Donghae felt lighter knowing the reason for the merpeople’s king’s death was not a petty one, but one that perhaps Donghae could benefit from.

 

“But still, you’re human and I am not,” Donghae said.

 

The prince frowned. “When I was young and the war was coming to the end, there was a witch that told me my true love would save my life on my eighteenth birthday. That’s today and I happened to be out at see headed home to the party planned for me. You saved me so even a mermaid, it must be you.”

 

Donghae stared at the human prince for a moment then back at sea. The storm was starting up again, it would be here soon.

 

“What is your name?” he asked of the prince.

 

“Eunhyuk, and yours?”

 

“Donghae. It means the East Sea with my people. Come with me.” With that, Donghae turned and plunged into the water.

 

“Wait,” the human prince called out. “I can’t go into the water.”

 

“Follow,” Donghae called back and started for a group of rocks where pools of water were made. Usually small creatures were caught there. The merman found one mostly empty and filled with the water from the rough waves earlier and waited.

 

“Why are we here?” Eunhyuk asked climbing in. 

 

“If we’re as you call it ‘true love’ then mating shouldn’t be a problem even like this.”

 

“Mating?” Eunhyuk asked and Donghae could see the surprise on his face. “We are supposed to marry before that, that’s our custom here.”

 

“In the sea, there is no such custom, only the royals stay with one mate by law.”

 

“And you want to make love with me in a storm? I barely know you,” the prince said climbing down into the shallow water. “I almost drowned; I’m hardly in the condition for it either.”

 

“And yet you had the audacity to declare I must be your true love. I want to see if it’s true.”

 

“How, though?” the prince asked.

 

Donghae moved closer to him and reached for the human’s pants pulling the wet clothes off and throwing them on the rocks, perhaps they would dry and the prince wouldn’t have to walk home in wet clothes. “I imagine it’s the same as those dolphins, they like to play with their own genders.”

 

“I couldn’t…” the prince started, but Donghae moved in and claimed his lips in a breath giving kiss.

 

“If you look, we’re much the same, only you have legs and I have a tail, but these are the same.” Donghae grabbed Eunhyuk’s male organ amazed himself how similar it was to his own. He could see the bright red color even in the dark matching close to the color of his own. He was surprised to be excited like this without mating season close by. He frowned, his eyes traveling lower, and understood that there still was a difference between them. Legs, what did legs feel like?

 

“Ah…you’re…” the prince’s head flopped forward. “I don’t know anymore, touch me if you want.”

 

Donghae moved his hand from gripping the human’s organ to trail the tips of his fingers along the softness of his legs. Muscle and skin, they felt good and he gripped the flesh. “Humans have interesting anatomy. Where is everything on you that is on me?”

 

“I don’t know, but it’s raining,” Eunhyuk said head still flopped and body shaking.

 

Donghae moved his hands between the prince’s legs and spread them. What did it feel like to have spread legs? He moved his hand between the soft wet flesh and felt the expanse of skin where there was no sexual organ and moved his finger further, touching a hole.

 

“That’s where that is. You’re much more flexible like this, but I’m not,” Donghae said. He moved his hand back to pump the human’s penis. It bothered him that he couldn’t do things the way this prince of humans must know how, but he wanted to do something. He grabbed his own member with his other hand and pushed it between the prince’s legs. Eunhyuk gasped and moved his hands to hold onto the merman’s shoulder as he was stroked.

 

Donghae heard the sound of a ship docking not far off, the ship the prince had fallen from had finally made it to the shore and the storm would come soon after. The merman leaned forward and pressed his lips to Eunhyuk’s. The human pressed back and sound akin to that of the cats he’d once seen on a dock make escaped him. Donghae licked the other’s lips again and found passage into his mouth He forced air in and pulled Eunhyuk down below the water so they wouldn’t be seen. The human prince fought him for a moment until he realized the kiss was both a kiss and a way for him to breathe as Donghae thrust between the soft skin of his legs and stroked him with his hand. Donghae moved away to pant as he moved hard, tail flicking powerfully to keep his erratic thrusts the soft skin so much different then the scales his member laid against in its limp state.

 

The human prince was light headed and pleasured and Donghae had to remember to kiss him, to breathe air into his lungs underwater as they made a strange sort of love in the hidden rocks. It felt wrong, unnatural to Donghae, but he also felt as if he could fly. He had spent so many months staring up at the dark sky from the depths of the water, but it was here beneath the water sharing air and pleasure with this human royalty that he felt the closest to flying, to being part of that sky. He had been searching for this and all his answers seemed to have come when Eunhyuk arched and screamed into the water, golden hair like a short halo and for the first time Donghae really did fly erupting between the prince’s legs and he kissed him giving him his own life as they emerged above the surface just as the rain poured down hard.

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

“Where are you going?”

 

Donghae turned to see his sister once again floating below him. “It’s none of your concern, Amber.”

 

“It is, you stayed out all last night and came back this morning smiling. Donghae, do you know I’ve never seen you smile before,” Amber said.

 

Donghae looked up at the dark sky. “I have my answers, Amber. I’m in love.”

 

“Love? Humans use that word, but do you need it for?”

 

“I love you and mother and I loved father. I love our people, but I’m in love, do you understand? I use that word because I’m in love with a human.”

 

“How can you love a human, you’ve never met one before,” Amber said moving closer to her brother.

 

“I saved one yesterday from drowning in the storm. I saved the prince of that kingdom.”

 

Amber gasped. “The one that killed father, how can you love that prince?”

 

“Father died in a human war for love, for that word we don’t use. It wasn’t land, it was for freedom, so man and man and woman and woman could love. And for witches, for magic to be used.”

 

“Donghae, we don’t like witches. Stop being silly and come back to the castle. Mother isn’t please with you.”

 

“It’s too late; I have to be with him now. You’re the heir; you’ll lead our people after Mother. I’ll make sure that no tragedy befalls our kingdom again, I’m making an alliance by doing this.”

 

“What are you doing exactly, Brother?”

 

Donghae turned and smiled. “I’m going to see a witch and become human. Tell mother it is for politics, she’ll understand that.”

 

“Wait, Brother!”

 

Donghae swam through the waters to the small hut only a few miles from the Eastern Castle where a young prodigy of a witch lived, younger than Donghae himself. He carried a large clam of pearls and hard to come by herbs of the sea and hoped it would be enough to pay for the spell. He crawled onto the dark sand, moon high in the sky, full. The sand scratched against his scales, but he ignored it and knocked on the hut’s door.

 

A blonde girl came out and gasped. She stared at Donghae in surprise and fascination. He held the clam out to her. “Please, change me into a human man.”

 


	30. A Theif's Heart

**Chapter 30 – A Thief’s Heart**

 

 

No time was wasted in getting to the throne room. Onew and a couple guards that had finally come as they were dragging a screaming Yuri out of the dungeons led the amateur witch into the room where the Easter kings sat sternly on their thrones. Taemin sat in Minho’s chair to the side, the little green blob that was the prince nestled neatly on his lap. Minho  was a bit worried to be honest as Donghae still wasn’t fully back to his human self, scales still decorating his legs but at least they were legs now and he could walk though the grimaces his dad had made while getting to the throne room told Minho  it hurt to do so. They had put Minho’s pants on him to cover the blue-silver scales, Donghae being a mermaid prince still mostly a rumor among the kingdom thought the existence of mermaids was known.

 

A hand lifted and stroked Minho’s green skin. He let out a purr like croak and turned a bit to look at Taemin who smiled down at him. Minho  really hated this form, he wanted to have Taemin in his lap not the other way around and stroke his hair and place comforting kisses on his skin. Also, the dog sized dragon was making him nervous. Taemin had taken to it like a pet, and now that it wasn’t being controlled buy Yuri it acted like one, chained to the throne and looking up at Taemin with what Minho  might have thought as adoration, but any affection he might have felt for the creature for loving his fiancé quickly disappeared when it turned its dark eyes on him and licked his lips. He had to keep reminding himself he was a frog right now and once he was human again he wouldn’t be as intimidated by the creature.

 

Eunhyuk sat with a hand on Donghae’s lap, Donghae’s hand on top of his. The guards kept Yuri back as the members of the royal court started to walk in for the trial. Seunghyun helped greeting them, a firm hold on the fairy in his hand that had his own small hands covering his face to keep from attacking anyone while Key was still passed out somewhere within castle that Jonghyun refused to tell him either because he couldn’t remember or because he wanted the fairy to sleep after whatever amount of energy he had made Key exert.

 

“King Eunhyuk and King Donghae, what have you called us out for so early in the morning?” one of the council royals asked.

 

Eunhyuk squeezed Donghae’s leg as if preparing to speak, but Donghae straightened up and spoke first. “There was a mishap concerning this young lady you see restrained. Around two to three hours ago, your kings awoke to a large magical atmosphere around the castle. Upon going to check we found our son-in-law to be frantic in search of the prince and their royal bed.”

 

“The prince and the bed were gone?” one of the council asked a bit amused.

 

Eunhyuk shot them a hard glare. “It is not amusing as the bed is burnt and this green frog upon the Aurora prince’s lap is our son. There is also a small dragon if you haven’t noticed.”

 

Donghae squeezed the other king’s hand again. “It’s alright, it is amusing in a way as this amateur witch isn’t going to get away with it.” Donghae turned to Yuri who was slumped forward, dark hair covering her face. “Miss Yuri, your are accused of an account of dangerous misinstruction bringing out that beer for the party, misuse of amateur magic on a large scale one of those being creation and summoning of a life i.e.: that dragon there and multiple high level curses, as well as six accounts of intention to kill. How do you plead?”

 

Yuri scoffed. “I want you all dead.”

 

“That sounds like a guilty to me,” Onew said.

 

“Indeed it is,” Eunhyuk agreed. “We have proof so even if she said she was innocent we know it’s a lie.”

 

“She left because of you. I haven’t seen her since,” Yuri said.

 

“Then she must have learned not to get between two people who are in love,” Eunhyuk said.

 

“You both owe her so much,” Yuri continued. “She turned one into a man and the other she gave the womb for a child. What did you give her in return.”

 

“Jessica had a place,” Donghae said. “We allowed her to be part of the kingdom and no longer live in the shack she did. If you love her, go find her once you’ve served your time.”

 

“I don’t plan on serving anything,” Yuri said and suddenly pulled one arm free of the guards and held up a vial with the swirling of magic atmosphere trapped inside. The other guard let her loose in surprise and Onew moved to grab her. “Don’t touch me or I’ll kill someone. I have enough magic here for that.”

 

“Someone grab her,” one of the councilmen said. “She’s just an amateur if she has to use an atmosphere.”

 

The guards moved carefully toward her, but Yuri walked back toward the door staring at them all waving the bottle. “I’ll make it explode if you get too close, it’s enough for a bomb after all.”

 

Onew drew his sword and Seunghyun lifted his hand as if to let Jonghyun free as his own curse had helped them in the dungeons. After a moment, the guards decided to go for it and started on Yuri. Yuri lifted the bottle intention in her eyes only for an arrow to shoot across the room pin her arm to the wall by the door. She dropped the bottle and moved to catch it with her other hand only for another arrow to restrict the movement of that arm as well.

 

Before Minho  knew what was happening, he felt himself lifted and moved onto the cushion of his throne. Taemin ran across the room toward Yuri. Minho  only got one hop in before he realized what his fiancé was doing. Taemin reached down and scooped the magical vapors emitting from the broken bottle into fire on his own hands before Yuri could regain her thoughts and use the magic herself. He held his alit hands before Yuri threateningly and she looked at him with fear.

 

“Assassin!” one of the royal councilmen yelled and the guards moved to hold Yuri back again while also going to the windows to see where the arrows could have come from. A third arrow shot into the room and landed on the floor pulled off course by the weight of a velvet bag attached to it.

 

Minho  leaped toward it through the feet of the guards and a few councilmen who had moved away from the windows encase more arrows shot. He prodded at the velvet with his green head and looked around not able to open the parcel himself. Taemin moved back from the witch and let his hands go out once the guards had made sure she was as harmless as any other non-witch. He came over and kneeled next to Minho, stroking the frog prince’s head and gazed at the parcel with curiosity.

 

“It looks familiar,” Taemin said. Minho  saw a small smile tugging at his full lips as lithe fingers moved to begin to unwrap the velvet.

 

“Be careful,” Onew said coming over with Seunghyun.

 

A gleeful laugh escaped Taemin as he lifted the Aurora king’s glass slipper into the air. “He gave it back!”

 

Minho  croaked happily in response to Taemin’s exclamation. The younger prince put the shoe back down and reached to scoop up his frog fiancé in his hands and nuzzled the rough green skin. “Minho, we can get married now, isn’t it wonderful?”

 

“Yes, married,” Minho  croaked. “I love you.”

 

“I love you, too,” Taemin said and started to lean in.

 

“Uh, Taemin, I wouldn’t kiss him here,” Onew said.

 

“Why?” Taemin asked innocently.

 

 “For one, it’s bad enough to see my little brother professing his love to a frog I rather not see him smooch one. And two, he’ll end up naked in his human form.”

 

Minho  frowned up at Onew, he had wanted that kiss not to break the curse just because he was starting to miss kissing his fiancé.

 

 “Oh, you’re right,” Taemin said. “I don’t want anyone else to see my Minho  naked.”

 

“Your priorities are always so well in check, aren’t they, Taemin,” Onew said and Taemin could only laugh and stand holding Minho  in one hand and the shoe in the other.

 

Eunhyuk and Donghae moved from their thrones to join the small party around the shoe.

 

 “How did you get it back?” Donghae asked indicating the shoe.

 

Taemin grinned. “Hangeng had a change of heart.”

 

“Hangeng, the thief?” Eunhyuk asked. “Should we up the amount of guards around the castle?”

 

“Father,” Minho  croaked, “no.”

 

“Yes, Minho’s right,” Seunghyun said. “Thieves don’t usually return something if they plan to steal something else. I think we can trust him this time seeing as he helped keep Yuri back.”

 

“Yes, holding Yuri back shows at least some good returning to his heart,” Onew agreed and held his fiancé’s waist.

 

“Alright, we’ll let him be if he wishes to take residence here for a while unless he starts causing trouble,” Eunhyuk said.

 

“Your majesties.” A councilman came up to the two kings and bowed. “May we proceed with the hearing?”

 

“Yes, yes,” Donghae said, “but I believe the verdict is obvious.”

 

Donghae and Eunhyuk moved back to their thrones. Eunhyuk raised his hand high. “All who believe Yuri is guilty?”

 

Most of the councilmen raised their hands, others still seemed skeptical which Minho  found annoying, but not everyone would agree to the most obvious of things.

 

“That’s majority,” Donghae said.

 

Eunhyuk moved the direction of his arm toward Yuri. “You’re guilty and sentenced to banishment of the Easter Coast. Go and find Jessica and be happy together. And if she isn’t your true love, I hope you find them soon whether they be a prince, a pauper, or a witch.”

 

The guards led Yuri kicking down to the dungeons to be held until a wagon to carry her to banishment could be prepared. The kings walked back down to their son and his entourage. Eunhyuk reached a hand out to lightly pet his son’s skin. Eunhyuk made a face and pulled his hand back to take Donghae’s.

 

“I thought perhaps frog’s skin would feel like scales, but it’s much worst than scales, I prefer scales,” Eunhyuk said.

 

Minho  frowned at his father’s words, but Donghae seemed perfectly happy with them, scales still apparent around his ankles where Minho’s too long pants were rolled up too high.

 

“Taemin,” Donghae said, “I think you should go do something about him now. You like making love to our son, but I don’t think it’ll work too well when he’s in this form.”

 

Minho  was surprised to see Taemin blush. He was always so confident when it came to their sexual relationship. He croaked an amused laugh and Taemin bowed to his parents then his brother.

 

Onew reached a hand out to pet his brother’s head. “You go do what you have to do, I’m going to go with Seunghyun to find Key. Jonghyun should be good to actually see what’s going on once we’re out in the hall.”

 

The fairy prince used one hand to keep his eyes covered and waved at them with the other. “Let’s go find my witch.”

 

“We’ll go first,” Minho  croaked, and, with the shoe in one hand and Minho  in the other, Taemin began to walk out of the throne room to Minho’s chambers.

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

“So,” Taemin began as they got closer to Minho’s bedroom, “what are we supposed to do about the bed?”

 

“Should already be taken care of,” Minho croaked.

 

Taemin laughed and continued to the chambers. The lights around them flickered and Minho  turned in Taemin’s hand seeing a shadow too large to be just back shadows from the chandeliers that helped light the halls. He kept a watchful eye but couldn’t be too worried as he was still full of the excitement of having this curse lifted.

 

They made it to the bedroom the shadow not popping up again and Taemin carefully placed Minho down on the new bed, not as big as the one Yuri had burned, but big enough to accommodate them both until a better bed could be made. Taemin turned away from Minho  and went to place the glass shoe on the dresser, wiping off spots with his sleeve. Minho  settled and got comfortable on the bed then let out a croack to call Taemin over. The younger prince turned and smiled at Minho  before slowly going over to him, removing what little clothes he had on as he did. Minho  briefly wondered whether his fiancé had any restraint at all when it came to his love for him. Stripping in front of a frog didn’t seem like the sexiest thing to look forward to.

 

Taemin crawled onto the bed and leaned over Minho’s small frog form. He laughed seeing Minho’s expression. “You think your fiancé weird.”

 

“I do,” Minho  admitted, “but I love you and your quirks.”

 

“And I love you and your quirks even if that means having to kiss a frog every few months.” Taemin leaned in and placed his lips onto the froggy greens ones.

 

Minho  vibrated with happiness and magic and began to shift. It hurt a little less than it had in Taemin’s garden but he had also only been a frog for a few hours this time. As soon as he had arms to reach out with, he wrapped Taemin in a hug and pulled him into a deep kiss. Taemin’s lips parted easily to let Minho’s tongue in. Minho  took advantage of it kissing Taemin as much as he could to keep the curse from coming back too soon. He moved Taemin, the younger’s body easily going wherever Minho  directed him, so he lay beneath him on the bed. Minho  pulled away once he was settled over Taemin and smiled down at his fiancé.

 

“Minho~” Taemin cooed softly and reached up a hand to caress Minho’s hair, “you’re not green anymore.”

 

Minho  laughed. “No I’m not, Taemin.” He moved his one hand to lie against Taemin’s cheek. “I’m the same color as you now.”

 

Taemin’s fingers moved from Minho’s hair to his jaw and then lips. “We should blend together well then.”

 

Minho  placed a kiss to Taemin’s fingers then took one into his mouth and sucked just the tip. Taemin moaned lightly and adjusted himself, bringing his legs to wrap around Minho’s middle and brushed his groan against Minho’s. Minho  let out a deep moan and leaned down to press kisses up and down Taemin’s neck. The younger prince tilted his neck leaving more skin vulnerable to the touch of Minho’s lips.

 

“Ah, Minho, make it quick, you don’t have time to tease.”

 

Minho  nipped his fiancé’s throat. He knew Taemin was right, he needed to quickly be inside his true love, but he didn’t plan on taking this fast once he was. There were many things to be happy with tonight.

 

Reaching above Taemin’s head, Minho  was glad to find a bottle of new lubing oil prepared beneath the new pillows and pulled it out. He pried Taemin’s legs off his waist and the younger prince spread them lewdly invitingly for Minho. Minho  spread some of the oil on his fingers and moved them to prod at Taemin’s entrance that was still mostly loose from their earlier escapades after the party. He worked the lube inside quickly as he watched Taemin’s mostly pleasured face. The younger prince moaned and wiggled still sensitive and excited as Minho  moved his fingers inside.

 

“Minho~” Taemin moaned and looked at his fiancé with heated eyes. “Come one, Minho.”

 

Minho  removed his fingers and slicked his own excited length up and pushed, easily sliding inside the warm heat. He groaned and leaned forward to bury his face in the crook of Taemin’s neck going back to kissing it. Taemin moved his hips impatient already to get it started.

 

“Let me just feel you, Taemin,” Minho  moaned into his ear.

 

“But I want you, Minho,” Taemin complained and moved his hips.

 

“Taemin, we can get married now, let’s enjoy this.” Minho  moved a hand down to lightly caress Taemin’s thigh.

 

Taemin gasped and Minho  could tell he was trying to get a glance at the shoe on the dresser. He could feel him smile, too. “The shoe, he gave it back. Now we don’t have to worry about Heechul not letting us marry, we have his shoe. I don’t know why he gave it back, but we have it.” Minho  moved to stroking Taemin’s thigh to stroking his length.

 

“I know,” Taemin said softly.

 

“What?” Minho  asked.

 

“Ah…ah Minho, please,” Taemin moaned and Minho  moved his hand faster and finally started moving inside his fiancé.

 

He moved with hard and deep thrusts, eyes closed as he felt everything that was the younger Aurora prince. Taemin moaned and called out his name, hips moving with Minho’s until the elder couldn’t take it and moved down to capture Taemin’s lips with his own. They kiss messily, needy, moving with each other. The magic of the curse had long since gone the moment Minho  had entered his true love. Making love wasn’t something new to them. They knew the feelings, knew what the connection felt like and still felt it.

 

Minho  pulled back and slowed his thrusts. He placed soft kisses to Taemin’s cheek and shoulders as the other whined far too gone in pleasure and love to voice his complaints with words. Minho  took Taemin’s hands thrown above his head and wrapped them around his own neck. The younger quickly grabbed holding tight and clung to Minho moaning. Minho  started up again, but placed sweet kisses against Taemin’s ear until they came, Taemin first slicking the friction between their stomachs and Minho  after hearing his true loves beautiful cry of ecstasy buried deep inside.

 

Once down from their high, they sat together and Minho  held his fiancé close to him as Taemin began to talk sweetly about days to come. Minho  dozed off to his fiancé talking about preparations for their wedding day.

 


	31. The Wedding

**Chapter 31 – The Wedding**

 

 

They arrived in the kingdom of Aurora to the fanfare of trumpets blaring and excited subjects. Their trip across the rocky and foggy terrain of the East and through the thick plentiful forests that guarded the kingdoms of the North had been easier going than the rest of their journey which could be chalked up to the lavish carriage the Easter kings had gifted them pulled by both their own horses and a set given to them driven by their own guards. Taemin clambered over Minho’s lap to stick his head out of the carriage door window to wave happily at his people. Onew tried to settle his brother down only to end up joining the younger in the greeting of the Aurora people as they shoulder ‘Welcome back’ following the carriage as it made its way to the castle gates.

 

“Welcome our beloved Prince Onew and Prince Taemin back to the kingdom of Aurora,” a guard yelled loud from the top of one of the castle’s walls voice followed by the loudest blaring of a trumpet yet.

 

The castle gates swung opened powerfully and Taemin settled back into his seat next to Minho. The older prince could only smile at his fiancé and nudged him affectionately while he held Heechul’s glass slipper in his lap. On the other side of the carriage, with freer hands, Onew held his own fiancé close to his side. Seunghyun looked terrified and had been tinted green from the moment he first saw the gathered subjects lining up on the side of the streets. Minho  held sympathy for the to-be Aurora ‘Queen’, he had every right to be frightened especially of meeting Heechul, his future father-in-law, for the first time.

 

The carriage came to a stop inside the castle walls. A guard opened the door for the waiting princes inside. Minho  descended first and held a hand out to escort Taemin out of the carriage, his other arm firmly wrapped around the glass box his parents had prepared for them to take the shoe in. The people of the castle gathered in the courtyard at the front of the castle and cheered upon seeing them and that Minho  hand successfully completed his quest.

 

Onew came down next and the cheers turned into proper greetings for their heir prince only to dull down in confusion when Onew reached out and escorted Seunghyun out. Seunghyun looked at them all in confusion then sent a pleading look at Onew. The prince only smiled trying to reassure him. The fairies hidden in Seunghyun clothes for the moment tugged and pushed until Seunghyun moved, falling into Onew’s arms ungracefully. Onew leaned in and kissed Seunghyun’s cheek before setting him on his feet properly. There were cheers again once they understood who this new prince was.

 

 “My princes,” a guard said and bowed, “please follow me to the throne room, King Heechul is all set up to have audience with you.”

 

Minho  straightened up and turned to his fiancé. Taemin smiled and took his free hand to hold and tug Minho to begin following the guard to the throne room. The guard announced them at the throne room doors before the large wood doors swung opened and they were allowed to enter. Heechul sat upon his throne at the end of the long red carpet that led to him. He looked older than Minho  remembered seeing him before he left. It had only been a few months and Minho  was sure the king was use to being without his sons for long periods of times, but perhaps this time he was much uncertain for the outcome of the question. For one, Taemin was never meant to accompany Minho  on the quest and two, Onew had just been on a quest of his own only to run after his little brother. Plus, depending on whether Minho  could bring the shoe or not also weighed on the king for that would mean his son married and whisked off to a different kingdom. Minho  thought, as Heechul stood, that such things must definitely being weighing down his fur trimmed cloak covered shoulders.  

 

Heechul kept a straight face as he stood and began to walk down the red carpet toward the gathered princes. Minho  stood straight, nervous with what the king would say. What if the shoe he had worked to hard to find was the wrong shoe or worst, fake? What if Heechul had changed his mind and wouldn’t let Minho marry Taemin? What if he threw him in the dungeons for kidnapping even though it had been Taemin that followed him? Would there be a war between the East and the North?

 

The Aurora king stopped before them and examined each and every one. He raised an eyebrow at Seunghyun and nodded when he saw the glass box in Minho’s arm. He nodded at Onew as well, but when he came to Taemin, he stared at his youngest son for a long moment before moving in and brought Taemin to him in a crushing hug.

 

“Don’t you ever do that again you stupid stupid boy!” Heechul yelled into his son’s hair and Minho  thought he saw Heechul’s shoulder shake. Was he crying?

 

“Mother, let go, you’re crushing me,” Taemin said, but returned the hug burying himself into the king as well.

 

“You deserve to be crushed,” Heechul said and finally pulled away and held his youngest son at arms length. “Who in the world ever gave you the idea you could just run after him like that? I blame your father completely, he was the adventurous one.”

 

Taemin laughed then frowned. “But, you gave Minho  such an unfair quest for my hand. It wasn’t like you really had to test his love, Mother. Obviously we were meant to be if I broke his curse.”

 

“I know very well it was unfair, but at the time it seemed like the only quest worth your hand,” Heechul said.

 

Minho  frowned hearing that then cleared his throat. “Either way, I did indeed retrieve your shoe, your majesty.” He got down on his knee and held the glass box out to Heechul. “It was a long and treacherous journey, but I present this glass slipper to you King Heechul in hopes that you will give your blessing for Taemin and I to wed.”

 

Heechul leaned down and tapped the glass case protecting the shoe and frowned. “You did indeed retrieve it much sooner than I had anticipated. Well, good for you then.” He gestured for a couple guards to take the shoe. “Where did you find it?”

 

Minho  stayed kneeling before Heechul as he spoke. “Originally we found it in the dungeons of my cousin’s castle in the west. It was also the same place we met up with your elder son, Prince Onew. There was a thief and the shoe was in his possession.”

 

“A thief?” Heechul asked. “What was his name?”

 

“Hangeng, you majesty,” Minho  answered. “We took the shoe from his possessions, but he broke free and tried to take it back. We thought he had and chased after him, but it ended up that the shoe had been placed elsewhere in our possessions and so we started back here.”

 

“And then you ran into more trouble? I did get a letter from your parents. There was no need to go east if that had been all of your journey.”

 

“No, we ran into a dragon,” Onew said. “It was controlled by a witch and Thief Hangeng caught up to us when planning to fight the dragon and witch. He had experience with dragons and there was some trouble in which we had to give him the shoe in order for him to help us, Mother.”

 

“Ah, I see.” The frown had still not left Heechul’s face. “How did you get the shoe back then?”

 

“He just gave it back, Mother. We had trouble with a witch in the East and Hangeng helped us at least I believe it was him,” Taemin said. “He wasn’t really a thief I don’t think. Father said he use to be Robin Hood. Oh, we saw Father as well.”

 

Heechul looked up interested. “Leeteuk? You ran into him, how does he fair?”

 

“Not as well as he could have as a king,” Onew said, “but he fairs happily roaming.”

 

Heechul nodded. “I’m sure he’s happy and I’m sure Hangeng is most definitely the worse type of thief.”

 

“Did he steal that shoe, your majesty?” Minho  asked.

 

“Not at all, I gave it to him, but that’s a story for another time,” Heechul said and turned to look curiously at Seunghyun. “Now, you’ve given me a very quick overview of your journey and I know you left out large parts of it, but exactly who is this prince before me, I heard no mention of him.”

 

Seunghyun stepped forward and bowed. “I am Prince Seunghyun, son of Prince Jonghun and Prince Hongki of a small Central kingdom.”

 

“Ah, letters from Central tend not to make it this far, but word on the wind did talk about a black swan prince who had finally found a prince to break his curse.” Heechul turned to Onew. “My son, have you brought home a bride then?”

 

Onew bowed to the king. “Indeed I have. Dearest Mother, I present my future bride to you in hopes that you accept my choice.”

 

Heechul reached out and patted Onew’s shoulder. “Of course I accept.” He moved and brought Seunghyun into a hug. “Now I won’t be alone in the castle when you go off on quests.”

 

“Alone Mother, but what about Tae—” Onew started and then looked over at his brother that stood beside a still kneeling Minho. “Oh.”

 

Heechul smiled and turned to lay a hand on Minho’s shoulder. “Stand Minho, Prince of the East Sea. I have accepted you as my son-in-law, there is no need to kneel before me for so long.”

 

Minho  tilted his head up looking at Heechul and a smile spread around his lips. He stood and did one quick bow in gratitude. “Thank you, Your Majesty. I will make Taemin happy and love him for longer than I shall live.”

 

He wrapped an arm around Taemin’s waist and the younger prince moved closer smiling at him happily then turned to King Heechul.

 

“Can we have the wedding tomorrow?”

 

 

**☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `* ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ `**

 

 

Minho  was nervous about the wedding. Certainly he did want to make Taemin his by the right, but still there were things that seemed so out of place. They had already started their sexual relationship though that was mostly Minho’s fault. He loved making love with Taemin, but no matter how many times the younger prince said it was okay to have sex first, in his kingdom it was not the custom and even in Aurora when they said the wedding night came before the wedding, he was pretty sure they meant the actual night before the wedding. So, Minho  had spent the night with Taemin wrapped around him,  naked bodies caressing in their dreams, though he didn’t dream much. His parents wouldn’t be there, there was no time for them to make it when their wedding would be so quick. Minho  was fine by that, he would be whisking Taemin away with him soon after the wedding anyways to Eunhyuk and Donghae could pamper their new son as they liked there. And they would be back for Onew’s wedding in a month’s time. Taemin had tried to insist on a double wedding, but Onew opted out. The wedding of the heir prince was much more formal then theirs. In fact, Minho  was almost certain Taemin and he would have a second wedding of sorts back in the Easter Castle.

 

There was also the problem of Taemin’s parents. He wondered if Leeteuk would be there, if he had come north after they’d parted that morning in the inn of the dragon valley. Could Leeteuk even risk coming back to the kingdom he had abandoned for a life of roaming and sinning to avenge the poor who had been sinned against? And what about Hangeng? Would the thief be here, would he try to take the shoe back again. There was no true proof those arrows had been his. Leeteuk was good with arrows and had relations with Hangeng, couldn’t he have gone after the other to take the shoe back for his son? Minho  didn’t know, he didn’t know a lot of things that had to do with this quest, the reasons why Heechul wanted that shoe back in the first place when he had given it up freely it seemed.

 

By morning, Minho  was a tired nervous wreck and no amount of nagging from the two fairies could get him up from his pre-marital bed where he still held a sleeping Taemin close to his body. The fairy witch and prince had been introduced when they were in more private quarters with the king. Heechul was only too glad to take them into their kingdom and went about devising a way to introduce them so they would be safe as go betweens for the two now connected kingdoms of the East and North. Eventually the fairies had decided that nagging and prodding at Minho  wouldn’t help and Minho  stirred hearing the ruffle of papers instead.

 

“Sultan Luhan send his hopes for your wedding and says he and Kai have already put into motion their own,” Key read.

 

“Prince Yesung would like to wish a Prince Taemin, Prince Minho, Prince Seunghyun, and Prince Onew the best with their marriages as he is happy with his own,” Jonghyun added.

 

“Oh, Prince Kyuhyun sent a letter as well. He says his father will still not allow him to marry Sungmin, but he’s warming up to his bride-to-be the closer he gets to birthing their children and he thinks he’ll relent once he sees his grandchildren,” Key said reading another letter.

 

Taemin sat up moving out of Minho  arms and grabbed the letters. “Oh how lovely, letters. Minho, get up.”

 

Minho  sat up and frowned. Jonghyun brought him over another letter. “One from my cousin, Siwon. He says he’ll be visiting the East Castle sometime after we’re married to get married to Kibum there as his father has no plans to set up a wedding there and he is too sick to be worried with such matters.”

 

“All these weddings, aren’t they lovely?” Taemin asked smiling at Minho  from across the room.

 

Minho  smiled back feeling less nervous. “Indeed they are and ours will be the loveliest.”

 

Key flew up and moved to Taemin. “Come now, we have to separate you two until the wedding. It’s at twelve so quickly bathe and get dressed.”

 

Minho  frowned as he watched Taemin cover himself in a robe and leave the room for another one to prepare him for the wedding. Jonghyun tugged on Minho’s hair. “You too now. Onew’s going to help you.”

 

Minho  reluctantly followed Jonghyun down the hall and a couple flights of stairs dressed in a robe as well. They stopped at a simple door and Minho  pulled it open to find a simple room with a warm bath and a fancy outfit hung up on a dress form. Onew stood in the room looking at papers over a desk, the only other thing in the room. The older prince turned and smiled at Minho.

 

“Welcome my brother, let’s get you dressed and ready to marry my Taemin, yes? I’ll apologize now, some of this may hurt a little. Beauty is highly regarded here.”

 

Three hours later Minho  found himself standing at the altar, a beautifully decorated arch on a tall podium with flowers and berries of every color that could be found in the spring fed forest. He retained from scratched at his skin which Onew had scrubbed raw in the burning hot bath. He also refrained from running his fingers through the shortened length of his hair or sneeze at the fur that draped his shoulders over top of the traditional garments he had been put in, fancier than the once Taemin had gave him when they first met and all done up in white and red. Heechul stood in front of him next to a priest who held open and book and kept his eyes down the red carpet laid out in the garden that Taemin and he had met in. It stopped at the fountain Minho  had almost called home when he was a frog and he tried his best not to stare at the place he remembered seeing Taemin touch himself innocently yet without restraint. It was Taemin who had wanted the wedding here, a sweet and memorable gesture that Minho  appreciated.

 

Onew stood with Minho  and Jonghyun fluttering around their heads. They both seemed anxious waiting for their own lovers who were to accompany Taemin down the aisle. The fairy prince seemed just fine amongst the gathering of royals and castle workers who were here to watch their youngest prince get married and Minho  wondered if Key had lifted his curse even though he still sported markings and dragon like wings. Such thoughts reminded him of the dog like dragon Taemin had taken a liking to they had left with his parents as a pet they would come back to.

 

Suddenly, trumpets began to play and Minho  looked down the aisle of red carpet to see Seunghyun and a fluttering Key followed by Taemin dressed in a red and white skirt and white jacket more elaborate than he had when Minho  first saw him and more elegant than what he had worn at the engagement party. And his hazel hair was suddenly longer and pulled up into a ponytail. He was the prettiest Minho  had ever seen him.

 

Heechul went down to take his son’s hand and help him up the podium, keep his hand as the ceremony began. Minho  held his own hands to not reach out for Taemin, but looked into Taemin’s eyes the whole ceremony repeating the words asked of him and meaning every one of them. Taemin’s eyes glittered into his own as he did the same and finally Heechul lifted his youngest’s sons hand and placed it into Minho’s.

 

“I know pronounce you married,” the priest said.

 

Minho  leaned in and captured Taemin’s lips in a quick meaningful kiss. The other pressed back, lifting his free hand to touch Minho’s neck and the crowd cheered. Minho  quickly led Taemin down the red carpet as petals and rice were thrown over them from the gathering around them. There was to be a reception in the castle dining hall in an hour’s time, but Minho  wanted time with just Taemin to walk in the garden, though Heechul followed them at first.

 

“Now, I don’t want you two going off and celebrating your marriage just yet, do you understand me? You both must look respectable for the reception,” Heechul said.

 

Minho  nodded agreeing, but caught Taemin’s frown and chuckled. They stopped when they heard a rustle in the trees around them.

 

“Leeteuk?” Heechul asked. Minho  and Taemin turned to see the ex-king walk out from the trees.

 

“Heechul,” Leeteuk said nodding at his ex-queen then smiled at Minho  and Taemin bringing his son into a hug. “Congratulations my son and Minho. I wish you two the best.”

 

“Was that all you came for?” Heechul asked. “You know it’s dangerous for you here.”

 

Leeteuk nodded. “I know, but I wouldn’t miss our son’s wedding for anything. Also, I brought you a present Heechul. He was very reluctant at first, but I believe he’s had a change of heart. Kangin, get him out here.”

 

Suddenly, the thief appeared with Leeteuk’s lover pushing him forward. Minho’s eyes widened and then widened again when Heechul gasped and ran forward stopping just before Hangeng.

 

“I thought…I thought you’d never return. It’s been so long.”

 

“I thought you weren’t stupid enough to expect me to return, my queen,” the thief said and lifted a hand but didn’t touch Heechul.

 

“Love makes you grow stupid,” Heechul said, “I saw a chance to make you come back or to never come back at all. I took it.”

 

“You gave me lots of grief my queen. First I befriend a man who takes my companion only to find out he had also had you and then your son’s lover comes to try and rip the last thing I have left of you. I heard you had children, that sort of thing I couldn’t take well.”

 

“That was always the plan, Hangeng. Is that your name? You never told me,” Heechul said. “And I’m not a queen anymore, I’m a king.”

 

“My king then,” Hangeng said and leaned down his lips meeting Heechul’s.

 

Heechul let out a sigh when the kiss ended and turned to the rest. “Leave us, go enjoy yourselves.”

 

Minho  bowed and took Taemin’s hand going further into the garden.

 

“My wish came true,” Taemin said smiling.

 

“What was your wish?” Minho  asked and pulled Taemin close to him staring down at his partner in marriage and all things for now and even after he died.

 

“I wished for Hangeng to come back to my mother. Why else would someone hold something so dear if it wasn’t from someone they loved? That was my wish.”

 

Minho  moved his hands and cupped Taemin’s face. “I love you so much.

 

“I love you, too, Minho.” Taemin lifted himself to rid of the space between their faces. Minho  melted into his bride’s kiss.

 

 


End file.
